At last we are back in action tomorrow with a visit to Getafe after the irritating international break. The game will take place at the unusual time of 6pm thanks to the new TV deal this season. After some days of doubt the game will finally be televised in Spain on Gol TV so I will be able to offer you the usual match report after the game. Barça could have Andres Iniesta back in the team after his injury and viral problems this summer and Rafa Marquez has also been given medical clearance to play. Due to the international games this week Pep Guardiola may decide to reserve some players, most probably Leo Messi, for Wednesday night's Champions League game at Inter Milan.
After the first game of the season Getafe find themselves as the first leader of La Liga having won 1-4 at Racing Santander on the opening day. Barça will need to watch out for striker Roberto Soldado who scored a hat trick against Racing, but for me the most dangerous player could be the Uruguayan left winger Juan Angel Albin. Getafe will be without Contra, Gavilan and Alvarez , but the arrival of new coach Michel (yes the ex-Real Madrid player) has improved things immensely at the club after finishing 17th last season, just avoiding relegation. Barça have visited Getafe on five occasions in the league, winning three, losing one and drawing one. In our last visit in April this year an early goal from Leo Messi gave us a 0-1 win but our superiority should have given us a much bigger win. Click here for a report on that match.
We all know how important it is to get off to a good start and to try and gain a lead on our rivals. The game tomorrow promises to be tight, especially as we often suffer after an international break. Messi will no doubt be tired after only arriving in Barcelona this morning after a long flight, while Iniesta may need a couple of games to get back to full form. Fortunately the players who have come in for recent games such as Keita, Bojan and Pedro have all been in good form and they may all be needed tomorrow. I expect it to be tight and it may not be pretty but I am confident that the team will do the job and come home with the three points.
Possible starting XI: Valdés; Alves, Piqué, Puyol, Abidal; Xavi, Toure, Keita; Pedro, Ibrahimovic, Iniesta.
My prediction: Getafe 1 Barça 2
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