Barcelona have named the squad they’ve selected to face Getafe tomorrow afternoon at Camp Nou in La Liga. The Blaugrana have opened the campaign with a win and a draw, beating Real Sociedad 4-2 and then drawing 1-1 with Athletic Bilbao. Getafe have lost both games, 1-0 against Valencia and Sevilla.
Ronald Koeman has been able to recall Marc-Andre ter Stegen to the squad for the German goalkeeper’s first inclusion of the season. Also included are Sergino Dest, Ronald Araujo, Sergio Busquets, Riqui Puig, Antoine Griezmann, Miralem Pjanic, Memphis Depay, Martin Braithwaite, Neto, Philippe Coutinho, Rey Manaj, Clement Lenglet, Jordi Alba, Sergi Roberto, Frenkie de Jong, Emerson, Samuel Umtiti, Inaki Pena, Oscar Mingueza, Yusuf Demi, Nico Gonzalez and Gavi. They’ll want three points.
🚨 Our squad for #BarçaGetafe! pic.twitter.com/3wc6trZa9p
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 28, 2021
Barcelona currently sit sixth in La Liga, while Getafe are down in 18th place. It’s early days, but every point counts when you’re ambition is the title – or surviving relegation, for that matter. Atletico Madrid and Sevilla both have made 100% starts, winning two out of two. Real Madrid, like Barcelona, have won one and drawn one. They play Real Betis at the Benito Villamarin tonight.
Koeman, speaking before the game in comments carried by Marca, touched on how close Ansu Fati is to returning, the state of the Barcelona project and how he sees Getafe as a rival. “There’s still a long way to go before Fati can compete at the highest level,” he said. “You don’t win that much time off the pitch in two or three weeks. He won’t be ready against Sevilla. He needs more training, more strength, more physicality. We’re not going to take a risk.
“I’m not in favour of thinking about not winning things,” Koeman said when asked whether Barcelona were in the midst of a season of transition. “We’re a club that must always show a winning mentality, but at the moment we can’t fight with the best in the world. It doesn’t depend on the best player in the world, it depends on the team and the mentality. We know that we lack the best in the world and we have to have other things.
“[Getafe] have shown a positive face in the first two games. Against Sevilla they deserved more [they lost to a late Erik Lamela goal]. They’re a competitive team that has its weapons. They’ll be very focused and we’ll have to play with aggression.”