Barça return to league motion in search of one other win to remain prime of the desk
FC Barcelona (1st, 41pts) vs Getafe CF (sixteenth, 17pts)
Competitors/Spherical: 2022-23 La Liga, Matchday 18
Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Robert Lewandowski, Ferran Torres (out)
Getafe Outs & Doubts: Mauro Arambarri (out)
Date/Time: Sunday, January 22, 2023, 6.30pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 5.30pm GMT (UK), 12.30pm ET, 9.30am PT (USA), 11pm IST (India)
Venue: Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Referee: Javier Iglesias Villanueva
VAR: César Soto Grado
Tips on how to watch on TV: ESPN Deportes (USA), Not Obtainable (Canada), Viaplay Sports activities 1 (UK), SuperSport (Nigeria), MTV (India), Movistar LaLiga (Spain), others
Tips on how to watch on-line: ESPN+ (USA), LaLigaTV (UK), Movistar+ (Spain), others
Following a dominant win over Third Division Ceuta to advance within the Copa del Rey, Barcelona return to La Liga motion as they give the impression of being to keep up their three-point lead on the prime of the desk after they welcome struggling Getafe to the Best Stadium on Earth on Sunday night in Catalonia.
This has been a really productive January with a trophy and some spectacular wins which can be bringing again the optimism for the Blaugrana’s possibilities of a profitable season, however they should preserve profitable and enjoying properly to maintain the nice vibes going. That’s the job whenever you play or coach Barcelona: be actually good, on a regular basis, and all the time win.
Xavi Hernández and his troops are conscious of that truth and have been extra constant since getting back from the World Cup, however one unhealthy efficiency and consequence might undo all of the progress they’ve been making this month. Xavi underneath Barça have been inclined to a couple stunning outcomes at house towards groups they need to beat comfortably, and that may very well be the case once more this weekend.
Getafe have been struggling for a few seasons now and are within the thick of the relegation race, and have just one win of their final 5 league video games. Regardless of enjoying a lot of the video games with a again 5 and a really cautious method they've one of many worst defenses within the division and an assault that may produce good moments however lacks effectiveness in entrance of aim.
However they know how you can make issues powerful for Barça and at instances have been very irritating for the Catalans over the previous few years. And in the event that they do play a again 5 as anticipated on Sunday, they'll check an space of concern for this present Barça staff. They are often critically unhealthy at attacking groups with a low block and 5 on the again, struggling to interrupt down that particular defensive construction and having a complete lot of possession with none significant possibilities.
And never having Robert Lewandowski attributable to suspension makes it much more difficult since there gained’t be a world-class goalscorer who can give you one thing particular out of nothing. Barça will want depth, loads of motion within the ultimate third and never be afraid to play lengthy balls to catch Getafe off guard within the moments after they do press a little bit greater up the pitch.
It must be a whole attacking efficiency as seen towards Actual Madrid within the Tremendous Cup ultimate, with fast passing, loads of runs in behind, good choices within the ultimate third and brutal effectivity in entrance of aim. Getafe are nowhere close to pretty much as good as Madrid however in some methods could be an excellent more durable staff to interrupt down based mostly on the way in which they’ll arrange and Barça’s points towards that setup.
It’s an interesting recreation of chess, and an early aim will probably be essential to make their job simpler. Getafe ought to be crushed comfortably, however they gained’t go down with no battle. Barça want their A-game from the very begin, and they should preserve exhibiting the killer intuition from the final couple of matches to get this one over with as quickly as they've an opportunity.
Time to play like leaders and title contenders.
Let’s dance.
POSSIBLE LINEUPS
Barcelona (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo, Christensen, Balde; De Jong, Busquets, Pedri; Dembélé, Fati, Gavi
Getafe (5-3-2): Soria; Suárez, Djené, Duarte, Alderete, Álvarez; Aleña, Algobia, Milla; Ünal, Mayoral
PREDICTION
Getafe is usually a actually powerful matchup and can check Barça’s capability to create and maintain assaults in the event that they play a again 5, however I nonetheless consider Barça will dominate midfield and give you sufficient possibilities and targets to get a cushty win: 3-1 to the nice guys.
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