FC Barcelona - Getafe: Keep the engine running

9 pm, GOL T and Canal+ Liga: Barça are aiming to record their 10th consecutive league victory against Getafe and close to within a point of the leader.

The players are determined to keep up a superb run of form and results with another win in the Camp Nou against Getafe – it would be the 10th league win in a row - which would lift Barça to within a point of Real Madrid pending the result of the league leader’s visit to local rivals Atletico Madrid. It won’t be easy as Getafe, along with Osasuna, are one of only two sides to beat Barça in the league this season.

It will be a vital match against an uncomfortable opponent. In Josep Guardiola’s first season in charge, Getafe secured a 1-1 draw in the Camp Nou. The last two encounters have ended in a narrow 2-1 win for Barça.

All in all, a series of close results against a Getafe side that sits comfortably in midtable but has an eye on a sixth place finish that would open the door to Europe. Osasuna currently occupy that coveted sixth place just a point ahead of Getafe. It has all the signs of being a hard-fought match.

Cesc suspended

Josep Guardiola will be without Cesc Fabregas (suspended) while Gerard Piqué (who missed out on the Zaragoza game) and Dani Alves remain doubtful with thigh problems. Apart from these three, Guardiola will definitely be without Afellay, Villa, Fontàs and Abidal, who all have long-term injury problems.


Getafe bring in Masilela and Rubén Perez

Luis Garcia’s Getafe side come to the Camp Nou on the back of decent five-match run including home wins against Real Sociedad, Valencia and Sporting, a goalless draw away to Osasuna y and just one defeat away to Atletico Madrid. They are tenth with 42 points but just one point off a UEFA League place. Their away form this season has been mixed, with four wins, eight defeats and four draws. The Getafe coach has brought in the South African international defender Masilela and Spain under-21 midfielder Rubén Perez to replace Mané (suspended) and Pablo Sarabia. At his pre-match press conference, Garcia told reporters, “We’ll have to compete at the maximum”.

FC Barcelona v Real Madrid, Saturday 21st 8 pm

The Spanish League has confirmed that the match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid will be played in the Camp Nou on 21st April at 8 pm

The eagerly awaited Camp Nou clash between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, the highlight of match day 35 in La Liga, will take place on 21st April at 8 pm. As Real Madrid continue to drop points in the run-in to the league championship, the ‘Clásico’ in the Camp Nou could prove to be decisive in Barça’s chances of lifting the league title once again.

Two in the league, on in Europe

However, the players will need to focus on three equally important matches before they face Real Madrid – two in the league and one in the Champions League. On Tuesday they welcome Getafe to the Camp Nou (9 pm) and on Saturday they travel to Valencia to face Levante. They will then go to London where they meet Chelsea in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday 18th at 8.45 pm.

Real Madrid also face a tough trio of matches starting with an away derby in the Vicente Calderón against Atlético Madrid and followed with a home match against Sporting Gijon. Immediately before the match against Barça, Real Madrid will go to Germany to take on Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals.

Third Camp Nou ‘clásico’ this season

The match on Saturday 21st April will be the third ‘Clásico’ of the season. The two sides met in the Spanish Super Cup with Barça lifting the trophy with a 3-2 win in the Camp Nou after drawing 2-2 in the Bernabeu. The winning run continued with a victory in the Kings Cup (1-2, 2-2).

Getafe, one of two teams that have defeated Barça

Cesc, suspended for tomorrow’s match, didn’t play at the Coliseo Alfónso Pérez against Getafe in the first half of the season. Getafe ended Barça’s unbeaten streak with a 1-0 scoreline

November 26, 2011. An unlucky Barça lost its first game of the season when the Catalans visited Gefate. The Madrid-based side, with an incredible defensive display and a solitary goal from Valera, handed Barça their first defeat of the season. Half a year later, both teams meet again, this time at the Camp Nou. The defeat to Getafe put Barça six points behind Real Madrid. Now, the gap is only four. 

Barça’s balance so far this season in La Liga is 23 victories, 6 draws and two defeats. One of the defeats was at the hands of the men led by Luis García, the other was to Osasuna at the Reyno de Navarra. Moreover, Barça haven’t lost a match in the Copa del Rey or the Champions League.

Similarities to the first half of the season 

Cesc Fàbregas, due to injury, wasn’t on the pitch when Barça lost its first match of the season. The Catalan midfielder will also miss tomorrow’s game. Cesc is suspended for Tuesday’s La Liga clash after he picked up his fifth yellow card in the match against Zaragoza this weekend. 

Five months ago, Barça came into the match against Getafe after beating Zaragoza 4-0, Puyol scored in that match - it was his first of the season. Also, AC Milan faced off against Barça just before the Getafe clash. The match at the San Siro ended in a 2-3 for Barça with goals from Van Bommel (og), Xavi and Messi. The buildup to tomorrow’s match is almost identical to the one five months ago: Barça beat Milan in the Champions League quarterfinal (3-1) and Zaragoza (1-4). 

Despite the coincidences, the match on Tuesday at the Camp Nou shouldn’t topple Barça’s nine-game winning streak. Guardiola’s men know that they must win to keep their La Liga title hopes alive.

Barça, four points away from the leaders

Real Madrid and Valencia drew at the Bernabéu this Sunday evening, leaving Barça, who won on Saturday against Zaragoza, only four points adrift of the league leaders

Barça have shaved two more points off Real Madrid’s lead at the top. The team from the Spanish capital ended the match against Valencia with a goalless draw this Sunday night. The six points that separated Barça and Real Madrid on Friday have been reduced to four, with seven games (21 points) still left to be played.

Nine consecutive victories

Barça, who beat Zaragoza on Saturday by 1-4, come into tomorrow’s match against Getafe on a nine-game winning streak in La Liga. The Catalans will travel to Valencia to face Levante this weekend.

Messi: 11 goals in 12 matches against Zaragoza

The Argentine has scored seven goals from his last three visits to La Romareda 

Messi has netted 23 times in his last 12 matches for the Club

Zaragoza once again succumbed to Leo Messi’s talent. The Argentine, with a brace to help FC Barcelona take the three points this Saturday (1-4), has scored 11 goals from 12 matches played against Real Zaragoza. Messi is a veritable nightmare for the Aragón side, especially at La Romareda. In his last three visits to the stadium, the La Masia graduate has scored a total of seven goals: three in the 2009/10 season, two in the 2010/11 season and two this Saturday. 

23 goals in 12 matches 

His today's brace, the Argentine continues his goal scoring rampage. In fact, he’s scored 23 goals in his last 12 matches. In total, he has 60 goals from 50 matches, and he’s only 7 away from drawing level with Müller’s historic goal tally of 67 goals scored in a single year, set in the 1972/72 season.

The highest scoring Barça in Club history

Barça have scored 161 goals this season and have set a new Club record. Guardiola’s team are now the highest scoring team in a single season in Club history 

In fact, Guaridola’s Barça have racked up the most goals scored in a single season in Club history for three consecutive seasons: 161,158 and 152 goals

With today’s four goals against Zaragoza, Guardiola’s Barça established a new Club record. FC Barcelona have scored a total of 161 goals this season, the highest amount of goals scored by any team in the Club’s history. The team only needed 54 matches to reach this tally, with an average of 2.98 goals per match. In the 2008/09 season, the team scored 158 goals in 62 matches (2.54 goals per match) and in the 2010/11, they scored 152 goals in 62 matches (2.45 goals per match). In the 2009/10 season, Barça scored 138 goals (2.33 goals per match). 

This year, Barça have scored 161 goals in 54 official matches with seven La Liga games, two Champions League games and a Cup final still to be played. Of the 161 goals, 90 were scored in the Liga, 33 in the Champions League, 23 in the Cup, 8 in the Club World Cup, 5 in the Spanish Super Cup and 2 in the European Super Cup. 

Messi, 37.26% of the team’s goals

Lionel Messi has 60 goals to his name this season, which is 37.26% of FC Barcelona’s goals. 19 players, besides Messi, have scored for the first team this year.

Zaragoza - FC Barcelona: Character shows through (1-4)

Goals from Puyol, Messi (2) and Pedro turned the game round for Barça at La Romareda this evening, after the hosts had taken an early lead. The three points take Guardiola’s team to just three points behind Madrid, who play on Sunday

Barça continue to pile on the pressure behind the leaders, with their ninth win on the run in Zaragoza tonight. After an early goal from Aranda, following a penalty save at 0-0 from Valdes, Barça struggled to impose their trademark game, but still pulled ahead thanks to goals from Puyol and Messi as the team put in a collective performance of courage and character.

In the second half, Barça took advantage of Zaragoza’s playing with just ten men after Abraham was sent off and finished off the game with a Messi penalty and a fourth from Pedro.

Valdés proves decisive

Zaragoza began by pressing Barça upfield and keeping them from imposing their normal short passing possession game. With Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta sat on the bench, it was Keita, Thiago and Cesc who were charged with taking control in the middle, but there was a lack of precision in their play and Zaragoza were able to create danger by putting long balls in behind the visitors’ defence, one of which led to Valdes fouling Lafita and giving away a penalty. He made up for it though, by anticipating Aranda’s effort and making what could prove to be a vital save come May.

Aranda opener

Zaragoza didn’t let that get to them though and a few minutes later Aranda got lucky when Valdes parried the strikers’ shot back onto his head, leaving him with an easy opportunity which he took with gusto. Unfortunately for the hosts, that goal seemed to spur Barça who now began to look more direct and pacey and within ten minutes they’d turned the score around.

Immediate reaction

Soon after Zaragoza’s opener, Alexis and Cesc had a double chance to equalise, but the attack ended in a corner, from which Puyol scored after a poor clearance from Roberto. Two minutes later a quick counter from a Zaragoza corner saw Messi fire home with a great finish to put Barça ahead. There was still time before the break for more action, as Abraham saw a second yellow after stopping Alexis in his tracks as the Chilean once again looked to break free.

Messi and Pedro finish the game off

Alexis was soon back into the groove in the second half, when Roberto pulled off a fantastic stop to keep him out, but the game was being played at a frantic pace, which Guardiola reacted to by bringing on Busquets for Keita to bring some order to the midfield. Barça now began to take control and both Thiago and Messi had the chance to score the third before Alexis was brought down in the box and Messi fired home from the penalty spot.

Barça didn’t sit back though, and a great move between Messi and Pedro ended with the Spanish winger getting his first goal since the Cup quarter final against Madrid to round offa great performance in which the team showed the character of champions.

Iniesta's goal at Stamford Bridge