Barcelona confirms Ousmane Dembele will be out for six months after undergoing hamstring surgery. Frenkie de Jong has attempted five shots in his six games for Barcelona in all competitions since Quique Setién’s arrival. Two more than he had in 26 under Ernesto Valverde
A whole season without Ousmane Dembele
Barcelona have lost just once in 12 La Liga matches, scoring precisely two first-half goals in three of the last four wins therein. That has partially contributed to Barcelona overcoming the -2 handicap in five of their previous seven La Liga home victories. However, they scored just once in the 46th-60th minute period across those five emphatic wins. The hosts have impressively won both halves in each of their last five H2H home league victories. Their last four La Liga home H2Hs have been unusually bountiful, with the ‘Blaugranes’ averaging 3.50 goals per-match.
After dismantling Valencia 3-0, Getafe sits in 3rd place and are in the KO rounds of the Europa League.
Boasting the league’s joint-best win-rate as a betting outsider in La Liga away games this term, Getafe travels to Catalonia after four straight league wins. Interestingly, every one of their open-play goals across the away wins in that sequence came during the first half of proceedings. José Bordalás’ men lost here 2-0 last season, losing both halves 1-0. Coincidentally, a majority (five) of Getafe’s last eight La Liga away defeats have ended with a precise 2-0 scoreline, with 40 percent (two) of those five 2-0 defeats seeing them lose both halves.
Will not play
From Barcelona: Dembele – Thigh injury, Neto – Ankle injury, Suarez – Knee injury, Turan – Injury.
From Getafe questionable: Manojlovic – Back injury.
Players to watch
Ansu Fati scored a quickfire brace in Barcelona’s last home win and has now seen two of his previous three goals act as decisive winners.
Averaging 0.6 goals per-match across Getafe’s last five La Liga away wins, Jaime Mata has been the final scorer in his previous two away league games.
Stat attack: Nine of Barcelona’s last ten league wins have separated the teams by an odd-numbered margin.
Barcelona have averaged 2.90 goals per-match across their last 20 La Liga home wins.
None of Getafe’s last 21 La Liga away defeats saw them regain parity at any time after going behind.