Getafe travel to face Real Madrid this Saturday.
Madrid go into the game on a high following their 3-1 defeat of Chelsea in the Champions League on Wednesday evening. The second leg of that game will take place on Tuesday in Spain.
But Getafe will be keen to spoil the party and one of their team, Carles Alena, has the additional spice of being a Barcelona man.
Born in Mataro in Catalonia, the now-24-year-old midfielder came through La Masia before spending five years as a first-teamer at Camp Nou between 2016 and 2021.
He failed to establish himself, however, and departed for Getafe last summer after loan spells with Real Betis and Getafe.
“Playing at the [Santiago] Bernabeu is everything to me,” Alena said in comments carried by Marca of Saturday’s match. “It’s always been a special game. The truth is that I’ve received some messages from Barcelona. Let’s see if we can help.
“Getafe want to win and if it also helps my former teammates and friends, let’s see if we can. Barcelona are playing at a spectacular level, for me they’re the team that’s in best shape in La Liga. Let’s see if the title race gets exciting.
“It’s not certain that I would have played with Xavi [Hernandez], I don’t think like that. If I thought about that all the time I’d go crazy. But I would have liked it; he’s been my idol since I was little and I think he’s going to be the best coach in the world.”
Getafe, led by Quique Sanchez Flores, go into the game 14th in La Liga while Madrid are 12 points clear at the top of the table. Barcelona, who play Levante on Sunday evening, have a game in hand and are, as Alena alluded to, the form team in Spain.
