Preview: Getafe vs. Barcelona - prediction, team news, lineups

Barcelona will be looking to return to winning ways in La Liga when they travel to Coliseum Alfonso Perez on Saturday night to take on Getafe.

Ronald Koeman 's side are currently fifth in the table with seven points to show from their three matches, while Getafe sit seventh with seven points from their four fixtures this term.

Match preview

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Getafe have made an encouraging start to their 2020-21 La Liga campaign, picking up seven points from their four matches to sit seventh in the table, just three points behind early leaders Real Madrid.

The capital side started their season with a 1-0 win over Osasuna, before drawing 0-0 at Alaves one week later. Another victory arrived at home to Real Betis at the end of September, but Jose Bordalas 's side suffered a 3-0 defeat away to Real Sociedad just before the international break.

Getafe finished eighth in La Liga last season, missing out on a spot in the Europa League by two points, but they did reach the last-16 stage of Europe's second competition.

Bordalas's team, for the moment, only have the league to focus on and will be hoping to push towards the top six, with a busy summer transfer window seeing them bring a number of new players to the club.

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Barca, meanwhile, have made a strong start to their La Liga campaign, picking up seven points from their three matches to occupy fifth position in the table.

The Catalan giants opened their campaign with a 4-0 win over Villarreal before beating Celta Vigo 3-0 at the start of October. Koeman's side were held by Sevilla before the international break, but there have been encouraging signs after a turbulent end to last season.

Lionel Messi has allegedly been impressed by Koeman's work since replacing Quique Setien as head coach, and it is vital that Barca pick up a positive result this weekend considering that they will welcome Real Madrid to Camp Nou for the first Clasico of the season on October 24.

The financial impact of the coronavirus outbreak was felt at Camp Nou, but the Catalan side still signed Pedri, Matheus Fernandes, Sergino Dest, Trincao and Miralem Pjanic over the summer.

Barca will be in confident mood considering that they have won each of their last four La Liga games with Getafe, while they are unbeaten against the capital side in the league for nine years.

Getafe La Liga form: WDWL

Barcelona La Liga form: WWD

Team News

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Getafe's squad is in excellent shape at the moment in terms of injuries, with Amath Ndiaye the only doubt for this match, meaning that Bordalas has a number of decisions to make.

There are not expected to be any surprises in the home side's XI, though, with a 4-4-2 formation expected to include Jaime Mata and Cucho Hernandez in the final third of the field.

Nemanja Maksimovic and Mauro Arambarri will continue in the middle of the park, meanwhile, with Marc Cucurella due to face his former club from a wide position.

As for Barca, Marc-Andre ter Stegen 's absence means that Neto will continue between the sticks, while Samuel Umtiti and Jordi Alba are also definitely out of this weekend's contest through injury.

Junior Firpo is also struggling with a hamstring problem, meaning that summer arrival Dest could make his full debut for Barca from the left-back spot.

Pjanic was forced off for Bosnia-Herzegovina in Wednesday's clash with Poland, but the experienced midfielder is said to be fit and available for Saturday's contest and could be handed a starting role with Philippe Coutinho potentially being rested ahead of a busy period.

Messi, Ansu Fati and Antoine Griezmann were all involved for their countries during the recent international break, but the trio are expected to feature on Saturday, while Clement Lenglet is available after missing the clash with Sevilla through suspension and should feature alongside Gerard Pique.

Getafe possible starting lineup:

Soria; Suarez, Dakonam, Etxeita, Olivera; Nyom, Maksimovic, Arambarri, Cucurella; Hernandez, Mata

Barcelona possible starting lineup:

Neto; Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, Dest; Pjanic, Busquets, De Jong; Fati, Messi, Griezmann

We say: Getafe 1-2 Barcelona

Barca will be determined to put three points on the board ahead of their clash with Real Madrid, and we are expecting the visitors to triumph on Saturday. Getafe are capable of pulling off a big result, but the fact that they have not beaten Barca since 2011 must be taken into consideration.

Top betting tip

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