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Preview: Barcelona looking for home comforts against Getafe

Preview: Barcelona looking for home comforts against Getafe

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Reigning LaLiga champions Barcelona face an early-season test when Getafe head to town on Sunday after already causing more than one surprise this term and sitting in the top four.

By Karl Matchett

Home away from home

The revamped Camp Nou inches closer to reopening, but the Catalan club have confirmed they still won’t be there even for the Champions League clash with PSG in October. That game will be played at the Olympic Stadium in Montjuïc, where they’ve featured the past couple of campaigns while renovation work takes place. Last time out in LaLiga, though, it was the Estadi Johan Cruyff which hosted the thrashing of Valencia – in front of fewer than 6,000 people, and that’s the case again for this fixture.

Quite aside from the loss of revenue and noise while they wait to move back into the Camp Nou, it can’t be the most settling experience for the players to ultimately switch between three venues, one of which is their reserves’ ground. No harm done last time out, but it doesn’t help to “make” an occasion, either – which may be a factor after the midweek cauldron playing in Europe at St. James’ Park.

Rotations start to kick in

Hansi Flick’s dual focus starts now, which means like most other top clubs, we’ll start to see rotation become more of a factor. In run-of-the-mill league fixtures like this, it’s what can level the playing field for the smaller sides a little – though strength in depth is of course skewed towards bigger clubs too. Barca soon face a run of Sociedad, PSG and Sevilla before the international break, so the big question is of whether to remove one or two star faces for this fixture, or away to Real Oviedo midweek.

Recent form

Barca drew at Rayo but have otherwise won four times this term, including that 6-0 win over Valencia in their only home game in any competition so far. Getafe won’t be cowed by that alone, having won three and lost one to sit sixth after Saturday’s games. However, that one defeat did come against…Valencia. Football rarely works in mathematical splendour, but don’t totally rule out a 9-0…

Team news

Alejandro Balde remains sidelined and the trio of Gavi, Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí are big doubts. Juanmi is the only Getafe concern but with Adrián Liso an early-season revelation in attack – three goals and woodwork struck once in his four games so far – they’ll think they can threaten Barca with their 3-5-2.

Key player

Ferran Torres might get the nod to start again after a brace against Valencia – his 2.9 xG tally is second in LaLiga only to Kylian Mbappé so far and he’s top for non-penalty xG. That said, he’s also top of LaLiga for big chances missed (6 in just four games!) so finding his clinical edge is a must, if he wants to stay in the side now that Robert Lewandowski is available again.

Prediction

Barcelona won’t have it all their own way but it’s always hard to see them not outscoring opponents, especially with Lewandowski’s return to fitness. Barcelona 3-1 Getafe.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from LaLiga with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Preview: Barcelona looking for home comforts against Getafe

Reigning LaLiga champions Barcelona face an early-season test when Getafe head to town on Sunday after already causing more than one surprise this term and sitting in the top four.

By Karl Matchett

Home away from home

The revamped Camp Nou inches closer to reopening, but the Catalan club have confirmed they still won’t be there even for the Champions League clash with PSG in October. That game will be played at the Olympic Stadium in Montjuïc, where they’ve featured the past couple of campaigns while renovation work takes place. Last time out in LaLiga, though, it was the Estadi Johan Cruyff which hosted the thrashing of Valencia – in front of fewer than 6,000 people, and that’s the case again for this fixture.

Quite aside from the loss of revenue and noise while they wait to move back into the Camp Nou, it can’t be the most settling experience for the players to ultimately switch between three venues, one of which is their reserves’ ground. No harm done last time out, but it doesn’t help to “make” an occasion, either – which may be a factor after the midweek cauldron playing in Europe at St. James’ Park.

Rotations start to kick in

Hansi Flick’s dual focus starts now, which means like most other top clubs, we’ll start to see rotation become more of a factor. In run-of-the-mill league fixtures like this, it’s what can level the playing field for the smaller sides a little – though strength in depth is of course skewed towards bigger clubs too. Barca soon face a run of Sociedad, PSG and Sevilla before the international break, so the big question is of whether to remove one or two star faces for this fixture, or away to Real Oviedo midweek.

Recent form

Barca drew at Rayo but have otherwise won four times this term, including that 6-0 win over Valencia in their only home game in any competition so far. Getafe won’t be cowed by that alone, having won three and lost one to sit sixth after Saturday’s games. However, that one defeat did come against…Valencia. Football rarely works in mathematical splendour, but don’t totally rule out a 9-0…

Team news

Alejandro Balde remains sidelined and the trio of Gavi, Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí are big doubts. Juanmi is the only Getafe concern but with Adrián Liso an early-season revelation in attack – three goals and woodwork struck once in his four games so far – they’ll think they can threaten Barca with their 3-5-2.

Key player

Ferran Torres might get the nod to start again after a brace against Valencia – his 2.9 xG tally is second in LaLiga only to Kylian Mbappé so far and he’s top for non-penalty xG. That said, he’s also top of LaLiga for big chances missed (6 in just four games!) so finding his clinical edge is a must, if he wants to stay in the side now that Robert Lewandowski is available again.

Prediction

Barcelona won’t have it all their own way but it’s always hard to see them not outscoring opponents, especially with Lewandowski’s return to fitness. Barcelona 3-1 Getafe.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from LaLiga with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.