Barca, Real in differing defensive crises
LA LIGA leaders Barcelona and reigning champions Real Madrid are suffering defensive crises of different kinds. The unbeaten Catalans host Getafe on Sunday as they look to protect their nine point advantage at the top, but will be thin on resources at the back.
Barcelona have been extremely tight in defence, conceding just 11 goals in 22 league matches, but centreback Samuel Umtiti, one of their best players this season, is suspended, and Thomas Vermaelen is injured.
Spanish media reports suggested Gerard Pique would be out for a month with a knee strain, but the defender was named in the squad for their Copa del Rey semifinal second leg against Valencia yesterday, so he may be fit to play.
That leaves Yerry Mina, the Colombian defender signed from Palmeiras in the winter window, as well as leftback Lucas Digne and midfielder Sergio Busquets, who could plug a hole in the middle of the back-line.
Getafe’s defence, meanwhile, could be reinforced by Mathieu Flamini, as the combative midfielder declared himself ready to play at Camp Nou after signing for the Madrid side earlier this week as a free agent.
“I’ve been training for three months by myself,” said the former Arsenal star.
“I’m fit and I’m only lacking the competitive part. I’m here to help protect the defence and maintain the balance of the team. The objective is survival and I want Getafe to get points and even get to Europe.”
Getafe are 11th and enjoying a strong season, although they have never won at Camp Nou, losing 11 of 15 matches there.
However if Barcelona are forced to pick players out of position in defence, this might be their best opportunity yet.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, saw Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane return from injury last weekend, but are having a defensive crisis of another kind. Los Blancos have struggled to shut opponents out this season and threw away the lead twice against Levante in their last outing, failing to record a clean sheet in six league games.
Their leaky backline has contributed to a thoroughly disappointing campaign that sees the champions fourth, 19 points behind Barcelona and left with no hope of defending their title. Madrid host Real Sociedad tomorrow, who are 14th and suffering a difficult season themselves, as the home side look to stay ahead of Villarreal in fifth place.
The Champions League is the only competition Madrid can now realistically win, although Sociedad forward Sergio Canales does not believe Zinedine Zidane’s side will be distracted by their European ambitions. They host Paris Saint-Germain in their last 16 first leg next Wednesday.
“I don’t think they will be thinking about the PSG game. They have to go game by game, and even more so because of the situation they are in, so we have to be 100%. We are preparing very well for this game [and we can] create a lot of problems for Real Madrid and take home the three points,” said Canales.
Atletico Madrid, away at Malaga tomorrow, will look to eat in to Barcelona’s lead at the top before the Catalans play. Other fixtures are Athletic Bilbao vs Las Palmas today, Villarreal vs Alaves and Leganes vs Eibar tomorrow, Sevilla vs Girona, Celta Vigo vs Espanyol and Valencia vs Levante on Sunday and Deportivo La Coruna vs Real Betis on Monday. – dpa