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Having scored sixteen objectives in 4 video games in 2025, Barcelona enter La Liga for the primary time this yr tomorrow evening as they face off in opposition to Jose Bordalas’ Getafe at Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
Their observe document on the venue lately, nevertheless, is much from spectacular and it’s clear that they are going to be pressured to toil exhausting if they’re to take the three factors on the evening.
Barcelona’s final win in Getafe got here again in 2019 when Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann have been nonetheless on the membership.
Since then, the 2 groups have confronted off 4 occasions on the venue, one in all which Getafe received and the others led to goalless attracts.
Barcelona’s potent assault thus faces a worthy rival in Getafe’s well-drilled low-block on Saturday evening and it will likely be attention-grabbing to see who has the final snicker.
Barça Common brings you three speaking factors forward of Getafe vs Barcelona.
An entire completely different ballgame
Barcelona have crashed by Actual Madrid and Actual Betis’ defences of their final two video games, placing 5 objectives previous every of them with ease. The Catalans feasted on the dysfunctional defences each groups had and exploited the voids to perfection.
Los Blancos’ had two weak-links on the again in Aurelien Tchouameni and Lucas Vazquez and the shortage of chemistry between the again 4 gave Hansi Flick’s aspect a giant benefit within the buildup.
Los Verdoblancos, in the meantime, tried adopting a excessive defensive position and failed miserably with the midfielders by balls simply threading by the gaps and giving Barcelona repeated possibilities on purpose.
Getafe, nevertheless, current an entire new ball sport for Barcelona to decode and their energy on the counter-attack shouldn’t be going to create many inroads.
Famed for his or her impenetrable low block, Jose Bordalas’ males will stick low on their strains and look to create a whole blockade in entrance of their space. It won’t be shocking if 9 of the ten outfield gamers are defending deep in two strains.
Creating possibilities previous the defensively sound aspect is thus not going to be simple and it will likely be a check of Barcelona’s skill to complete clinically. If breaking by the defence is one fear, capitalising on the few possibilities and scoring can be one other steep problem.
The goalkeeper dilemma
Pena or Szczesny in purpose? (Photograph by David Ramos/Getty Photographs)
Inaki Pena’s time as Flick’s undisputed desire in purpose has come to an finish, and all it took was two-and-a-half video games from Wojciech Szczesny.
The Polish goalkeeper made his debut for Barcelona in opposition to Barbastro in La Liga and began in opposition to Athletic Membership after Flick punished Pena for arriving late.
His sturdy exhibiting within the Spanish Tremendous Cup semifinal gave him an opportunity to start out within the finale and he as soon as once more put up a stable present in opposition to Actual Madrid till the second he was despatched off.
With each goalkeepers as soon as once more out there forward of the Getafe conflict, it will likely be attention-grabbing to see who Flick prefers in purpose and opts to deploy as his common league goalkeeper.
In spite of everything, Szczesny has completed sufficient to warrant extra minutes and will nicely substitute Pena on Saturday evening.
The supervisor will thus face a severe choice dilemma forward of kickoff and it seems that whoever he selects for the sport at Coliseum Alfonso Perez will proceed as his main league goalkeeper for the remainder of the season.
No room for error
Barcelona have seen their lead in La Liga disappear in a matter of weeks, and all of the sudden, are now not within the prime two of the standings.
November and December, in spite of everything, didn’t fairly go to plan for the Catalans within the league as they dropped factors week after week to see their benefit evaporate.
Defeats to Actual Sociedad, Las Palmas, Leganes and Atletico Madrid coupled with attracts in opposition to Actual Betis and Celta Vigo have damage the membership badly and there may be all of the sudden no extra margin for error.
Midway by the season, Barcelona are six factors behind leaders Atletico de Madrid and 5 factors behind Actual Madrid and easily can’t afford to lose any extra floor.
Tomorrow’s conflict at Coliseum Alfonso Perez can be Barcelona’s first La Liga sport of 2025, and the workforce should make a optimistic begin to get again the momentum. Solely a streak of wins can salvage their scenario within the title race now.
