Sports Mole previews Wednesday’s La Liga clash between Barcelona and Getafe, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Barcelona will look to maintain their 100% start to the league season when they play host to winless Getafe on Wednesday evening.
The Blaugrana are four points clear at the top of the standings, while the Azulones are languishing in the bottom three.
Match preview
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Hansi Flick has made an impressive start to life as a La Liga manager, having seen his Barcelona side win all of their opening six league matches.
After recording three consecutive 2-1 victories, the Blaugrana have gone on to showcase their firepower in their previous three league games, thrashing Real Valladolid 7-1 and Girona 4-1 before they swept past Villarreal in Sunday’s away contest.
Barcelona travelled to the Estadio de la Ceramica on the back of a disappointing Champions League defeat against Monaco, but they ultimately put that result behind them as they dispatched a Villarreal side who had three goals disallowed in the contest.
Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha both scored braces alongside Pablo Torre‘s first La Liga goal to fire Barcelona to a 5-1 win in a game where their goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen picked up a serious knee injury.
While Ter Stegen’s injury may have dampened the mood in the dressing room, Barcelona can be proud of the fact that they extended their unbeaten away league run against Villarreal to 16 matches (W12, D4) and maintained their four-point lead over El Clasico rivals Real Madrid.
After playing three consecutive away matches, the Blaugrana will now return to Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys where they have dropped just two points in their previous 10 home league games.
The hosts have been flawless in recent home matches against Getafe, having beaten the Azulones in each of their previous six home clashes, scoring 16 goals and conceding on just four occasions in that period.
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Getafe are one of two teams yet to win a La Liga game this season, having seen their six matches produce four draws and two defeats.
The Azulones, who finished in 12th spot last term, kicked off the 2024-25 campaign with three consecutive draws before they fell to consecutive away defeats against Sevilla and Real Betis.
Jose Bordalas‘s side did at least avoid a third straight defeat in Sunday’s South of Madrid derby as Borja Mayoral netted an 83rd-minute penalty after Leganes’ Jorge Saenz had opened the scoring in the 76th minute.
Only four teams have conceded fewer goals than Getafe this season, but crucially, they are the second-joint lowest scorers in the top flight with just three goals from six matches.
Their struggles in the final third have ultimately contributed to an 11-game winless league run, leaving Getafe searching for their first victory beating Almeria 3-1 in April.
A victory may be an impossible target for Wednesday’s meeting with the league leaders, but the visitors enter the contest with hopes of claiming their first away point against Barcelona since February 2018.
Barcelona La Liga form:
Barcelona form (all competitions):
Getafe La Liga form:
Team News
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Barcelona have confirmed Ter Stegen ruptured the patella tendon in his right knee and has undergone surgery before he begins his long road to recovery.
Inaki Pena replaced the German in first-half injury time against Villarreal, and the 25-year-old is now poised to make his first start of the 2024-25 season.
Ter Stegen has joined a lengthy injury list which features Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal, Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez.
After opting to rotate his side at the weekend, Flick is set to recall Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde and Marc Casado, while Ferran Torres will return to the squad following a one-match ban.
Lewandowski will continue to lead the line and the striker will be looking to claim an outright record after equalling Jan Urban for the most goals scored (48) by a Polish player in La Liga.
Meanwhile, the visitors will have to assess defender Nabil Aberdin, who has been forced to miss the last three matches due to injury.
Former Real Madrid forward Alvaro Rodriguez is struggling with an ankle issue and remains a doubt as he continues to wait for his Getafe debut.
Alex Sola and Carles Perez are both pushing for starting spots after featuring as substitutes in Sunday’s derby clash.
Mayoral has appeared off the bench in the last two matches, and Getafe’s main marksman could be presented with his first start since his return from a long injury layoff.
Barcelona possible starting lineup:
Pena; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde; Casado, Pedri; Yamal, Raphinha, Torres; Lewandowski
Getafe possible starting lineup:
Soria; Iglesias, Djene, Berrocal, Alderete, Rico; Perez, Uche, Milla, Sola; Mayoral
We say: Barcelona 3-0 Getafe
Getafe are usually a tough side to break down due to their steely defence, but we think their backline may struggle to cope with Barcelona’s attacking firepower, especially as the hosts have scored 16 goals across their last three league outings.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.