Barcelona vs. Getafe: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
Reigning La Liga champions Barca have won all of their last six games whilst their opponents have drawn one and lost the other five.
More worrying for Getafe is that they have failed to score in six out of their last seven matches.
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
They were hit for six without reply at this venue last season and have failed to win at Camp Nou in more than 12 years, per Fussball Wettpoint.
Coach Fran Escriba is none too happy with his side, and after a recent 3-0 defeat to Levante, he let rip at his players. Per Football Espana, he noted:
"When you play how we did, you deserve the result. My team were lacking in everything. To come here and justify something by telling lies isn’t me.
The feeling I got was that Levante were playing for something and we were for nothing. I just feel ashamed and it’s hard to sit here, not knowing what to say.
We trained well but didn’t compete. There’s an error in something important, perhaps in choosing the players.
If that’s the case then obviously I assume [responsibility], but it’s the players who are on the pitch. I’m the first person to defend my players, but it’s clear that we’re doing something badly wrong.
Only those who die for the shirt will play. We’re at a point where we can’t turn a blind eye and must look at ourselves.
"
A scathing assessment of the application of his players but one that just might see them turn a corner before the end of the campaign.
A draw with Sevilla is a none too shabby result so perhaps Escriba's harsh words are beginning to have the desired effect.
Luis Enrique couldn't be happier with his group. A fantastic all-round performance at Eibar, a ground where opponents can often struggle, meant that the Blaugrana could approach their first midweek without a game since the turn of the year in the best of spirits.
Per Barca's official site, Enrique noted:
"We are in the final stretch of the season against opponents who need points.
At the moment, we are only thinking about three points against Getafe, which will leave us closer to our objective of winning the league.
We know that we are where we wanted to be at the start of the season, but the most difficult part remains which is to confirm our performances with titles.
We have a clear advantage but we cannot afford to slip up because losing two matches could see us punished.
I have complete confidence in what my players are doing. I will judge them for what they do on the field individually and collectively, and they are doing both of those things marvellously.
"
Barca remain eight points clear of Atletico Madrid in the chase for the title, and with games slowly but surely running out, each win puts the Catalans within touching distance of retaining another trophy.
Date: Saturday, March 12
Time: 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
TV Info: Sky Sports 5, Sky Sports 5 HD (from 5:15 p.m., UK only)/beIN Sports 1 (U.S. only)
Live Stream: Sky Go app (UK Only)/beIN Sports Connect (U.S. only)
Form Lines
| Barcelona | Getafe |
| W 4-0 vs. Eibar | D 1-1 vs. Sevilla |
| W 5-1 vs. Rayo Vallecano | L 0-4 vs. Las Palmas |
| W 2-1 vs. Sevilla | L 0-1 vs. Celta Vigo |
| W 2-0 vs. Arsenal | L 0-3 vs. Levante |
| W 2-1 vs. Las Palmas | L 0-1 vs. Atletico Madrid |
| W 3-1 vs. Sporting Gijon | L 0-3 vs. Malaga |
Predicted Formations
This is a game that affords Enrique the opportunity to rotate before the Champions League return game against Arsenal.
While Barca might have a slightly different look in terms of personnel, they'll still be competitive in all areas, and the onus remains on Fran Escriba to pick a team to hopefully cause one of the biggest shocks of the season.
A 4-2-3-1 formation is probably a little too attack-minded, but the Getafe coach wants balance in both attack and defence, which such a formation provides.
Midfielder Yoda faces up to a player from another galaxy in Lionel Messi, and with the majority of Barca's attacks expected down that side of the pitch, his central defender Cala needs to work in tandem for the entire game to ensure that the Argentinian's chances are limited.
Sandro Ramirez has a point to prove, but an injury in training on Friday, per Sport, has seen his chances this season ruined. Luis Suarez will therefore take up his usual position.
Neymar is welcomed back into the fold and is unlikely to get things all his own way against Emi and Emiliano Velazquez.
Mehdi Lacen has been disappointing of late, ditto Juan Rodriguez. If the two pivots can't stop the flow of chances into the front men, then Getafe will likely be put away before half-time.
Sergi Roberto's non-stop direct running and commitment to the cause will give Lacen no end of problems, while Arda Turan's trickery can help unlock the door.
Pablo Sarabia, Alvaro Medran and Victor Rodriguez are the support act for striker Alvaro Vazquez. Medran in particular will encounter difficulties in the central areas as Javier Mascherano, free from his central defensive constraints, patrols and controls in front of his back four.
A back four of Jeremy Mathieu, Thomas Vermaelen, Gerard Pique and Aleix Vidal may offer the visitors hope of goalscoring opportunities, but Getafe still have the in-form Claudio Bravo to beat.
Vicente Guaita completes the lineups.
Player to Watch
Sarabia's importance to this side is a key reason why, despite an incredibly poor run of recent form, they remain outside of the drop zone.
His five goals and four assists, per WhoScored.com, are the best numbers in the side, and without them, Getafe would arguably already be staring up from the basement of the league.
He'll be offered encouragement in this game given that his markers, Mathieu and Vermaelen, haven't really covered themselves in glory since their transfers from Valencia and Arsenal, respectively.
The Frenchman is a centre-back by trade so the likelihood of Sarabia targeting Mathieu in the opening exchanges is strong.
His trickery can excite and exasperate in equal measure, but he'll never have a better chance to show his quality against this team.
The left-sided pairing of Barca have shown before that there is little fluidity to the partnership and is only ever used as a fall-back option when needed.
If Sarabia isolates one or other of the covering defenders, then put your money on the attacker. Whether he does anything with the ball once he's beaten his man is a moot point at this stage.
Key Battle
Emiliano Buendia, known as Emi, is still only 19 years of age but has been a bright spark in this underperforming Getafe side.
Call it fearlessness, call it the exuberance of youth, call it bravery. Whichever way you look at it, the player approaches every game in the same manner, no matter the opposition.
It has exposed a little naivety on occasions against the bigger sides, but in general terms, it's a policy that has served the right-back well.
He may need to tweak some aspects of his game for the visit of Barca because Neymar will give him the toughest test that he has faced this season.
Only a few years separate the two players, but the 24-year-old Brazilian is light years ahead in his own development. After a week's enforced absence, he'll be champing at the bit to get right back into the action.
Emi's decision-making will be crucial to who wins this particular battle.
Touch-tight is an oft-used phrase in football, but the defender will not match Neymar for pace so the former is realistically his only option, while being aware of the forward's penchant to make the most of any challenges.
An early yellow card would render Emi's role almost defunct for the remainder of proceedings.
Odds
Getafe win: 25-1
Barcelona win: 1-10
Draw: 10-1
Pre-match odds via Odds Shark.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
