Lionel Messi needs help from Barcelona team-mates against water-tight Getafe

Andy West 20:55 05/01/2019
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    Barcelona will attempt to take advantage of Real Madrid’s slip-up at Villarreal on Thursday by maintaining their cushion at the top of La Liga as they return to action for their first game of 2019.

    But it will not be easy for Ernesto Valverde’s team as they travel to take on defensively excellent Getafe, who have aspirations of claiming a European place after a strong first half of the season.

    And whether Lionel Messi and co will be able to break down the home team’s dogged defence is the big question ahead of this Sunday night showdown.

    Can Getafe stop Barca again?

    Getafe succeeded in taking a point off Barca the last time the teams met, earning a 0-0 draw at the Camp Nou in February, and the Madrid-based side will be confident of their chances of doing more damage to the champions this time around.

    The well-drilled defensive display which restricted Barca to a handful of clear chances in that encounter has been typical of their rise under highly-regarded coach Jose Bordalas, whose team are sitting pretty in seventh place as 2019 gets underway.

    Getafe boast the second-best defensive record in the division with 13 goals conceded in 19 games (Atletico have allowed just 12), and have been particularly stingy at their Alfonso Perez Coliseum home, letting in only four goals in eight games. They also finished 2018 in fine fettle with a five-game unbeaten run, so confidence is high as the new year dawns.

    Central defender Djene Dakonam, who is occasionally employed by Bordalas as an additional defensive midfielder, has perhaps been their best performer, but this is a team built around collective organisation rather than outstanding individuals and they are ready to make life more than difficult for Barca once again on Sunday night.

    Who will support Messi in attack?

    As always, responsibility for undoing Getafe’s watertight defence will fall to Messi, who brought 2018 to a close in scintillating style by firing home six goals in three games, taking his personal tally for the league campaign to 15 – just three goals fewer than the entire Getafe team.

    Messi will be accompanied by Luis Suarez, but against such a well-organised defensive team like Getafe, who do an outstanding job of closing down the space in and around their penalty area, the biggest challenge facing the visitors will be finding some kind of supply line for the Uruguayan striker.

    With that in mind, the thing Barca need most from Messi – rather than his outlandish scoring abilities – is his creativity. Chances will be at a premium considering Getafe’s ability to keep the ball away from their danger zone, and Barca will have to be prepared for an ultra-physical challenge from an opposing side which has committed more fouls – 17.7 per game – than any other team in La Liga.

    It’s the kind of game where possession doesn’t count for much: Barca must also find penetration, and if Ousmane Dembele can support Messi by producing a spark to bury the demons of his last trip to the stadium – when he suffered a serious thigh injury early last season – their chances of success will significantly increase.

    Setting the right tone for 2019?

    The main talking point surrounding Barca during the winter break came with an interview given by boss Valverde, who admitted with surprising openness that he has no idea whether he will still be at the club next season.

    Valverde’s contract expires at the end of the current campaign and there have been differing reports over a possible renewal, with some speculating it’s a matter of time until he signs again whereas others have claimed only a Champions League victory will be enough to keep him in situ.

    Barca’s season so far has been very good, but no silverware has been secured yet and the biggest challenges lie ahead for a team which has occasionally showed worrying signs of frailty. Being able to overcome a dangerous opponent like Getafe would be the perfect way to set the right tone for a few months which will be anything but dull.

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