Barcelona return to Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday evening aiming to keep pace with leaders Real Madrid as they host a stubborn Getafe side battling to escape the relegation zone. Kick-off is set for 21:00 CET.
Xavi Hernández’s men enter the match on a four-game league winning streak that has trimmed the gap at the top to five points. Robert Lewandowski has scored in each of his last three La Liga appearances, while teenage winger Lamine Yamal has recorded four assists in that span. The coach has no fresh injury concerns; Pedri, Frenkie de Jong and Raphinha remain in the final phases of their respective recoveries but could feature off the bench.
Getafe arrive having collected seven points from their last four outings, including a surprise 3-2 win over Atlético Madrid at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez. José Bordalás will again set his side up in a compact 5-3-2 that has conceded only two goals in that sequence. Enes Ünal is cup-tied but Mauro Arambarri returns from suspension to reinforce midfield, while striker Borja Mayoral has netted three times in four matches.
Head-to-head numbers heavily favor the Catalans: Barça have won 18 of the last 21 league meetings (D2, L1) and kept 12 clean sheets in that stretch. At home they are unbeaten against Getafe since 2007, scoring at least twice in nine of the last 11 encounters.
Expected line-ups
Barcelona (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Cancelo, Araújo, Cubarsí, Balde; Gündoğan, Christensen, Gavi; Yamal, Lewandowski, Félix
Getafe (5-3-2): Soria; Damián, Alderete, Duarte, Mitrović, Rico; Maksimović, Milla, Arambarri; Mayoral, Latasa
Key battleground will be the right flank, where Yamal’s 1-v-1 ability meets the physicality of Getafe wing-back Juan Iglesias. If Barça can stretch the back five before the first passing lane closes, spaces should open for Lewandowski inside the box.
Verdict
Getafe’s improved form and street-wise defending could frustrate the hosts for spells, but Barça’s superior depth and individual quality should tell in the final quarter. Expect the Blaugrana to wear down the deep block and claim a 2-0 victory, maintaining their title push before the March international break.
