Barcelona return to action in La Liga on Sunday night, hosting Getafe at 20:00 BST at the 6,000-seater Estadi Johan Cruyff. With the Camp Nou still undergoing renovations, Hansi Flick’s side will once again be playing in the more intimate setting. 

Despite being homeless, the Catalan giants have made a strong start to the campaign, while José Bordalás’ Getafe also arrive in good form. With both sides riding high in the early standings, this promises to be an intriguing contest between second and fourth place in La Liga.

Team form

Barcelona’s start hasn’t been easy. Forced to play their first three fixtures on the road, Flick’s men collected seven points from a possible nine with two wins and a draw. They finally played their first ‘home’ game of the season at the Estadi Johan Cruyff against Valencia last weekend, running riot in a 6-0 demolition job. 

Fermin López, Raphinha, and Robert Lewandowski all grabbed braces. The performance sent a statement that Barcelona mean business despite their temporary home venue, and the result left them sitting in second place, just behind arch-rivals Real Madrid.

Getafe have also enjoyed an impressive start to La Liga with wins over Celta Vigo and Sevilla, but they were brought back down to earth with a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Valencia. Bordalás’ men responded well, though, bouncing back before the break with a comfortable 2-0 win over Real Oviedo. With three wins from four games, Azulones find themselves in the top four. 

Head-to-head

Barcelona’s record against Getafe is a tale of two very different settings. At the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez, the Catalans have struggled badly, failing to win any of their last five league visits, a run stretching back to 2019. 

However, back on home soil, the story flips completely. Barca boast seven consecutive home victories over Getafe, with their last three encounters seeing them win without conceding, twice by a 1-0 margin and once by a 4-0 scoreline. 

Team news

Barcelona continue to grapple with a star-studded injury list. Lamine Yamal was unavailable against Valencia after playing through an injury while on international duty with Spain, much to Flick's frustration, though he could be back in the mix this weekend. 

Frenkie de Jong also missed that clash after picking up a knock with the Netherlands, but he, too, has a chance of making the squad. Marc-André ter Stegen remains a long-term absentee following back surgery, while Alejandro Balde and Gavi are both sidelined for the foreseeable future.

Getafe arrive in better shape, with no major fresh concerns reported from the international break. Bordalás is expected to stick closely to the side that overcame Oviedo.

Key stats

• Raphinha was benched against Valencia for disciplinary reasons but came on at half-time to score twice, taking his tally to three goals in La Liga this season.

• Robert Lewandowski, also used as a substitute, bagged a brace to finally open his account for the campaign. The Getafe game could mark his first start of the season.

• 20-year-old striker Adrián Liso has been Getafe’s breakout star this season, scoring three goals in four games.

Prediction 

Getafe’s promising start to the season shouldn’t be dismissed, but their dreadful record away to Barcelona cannot be ignored. Flick’s men looked devastating in their last outing and, with Lewandowski working back to full sharpness and Raphinha in red-hot form, they should have too much firepower for Azulones. With Champions League duties against Newcastle United in midweek, rotation is possible, but the depth of Barca’s squad should still see them through comfortably.