Barcelona vs Getafe

Posted Saturday, February 06, 2010 by ESPN

Pep Guardiola is out to ensure that Barcelona do not slip up in Saturday's La Liga clash at home to Getafe.

Barcelona vs Getafe Barcelona have won 16 and drawn four of their first 20 league matches to lead the table by five points from fierce rivals Real Madrid.

The Catalans now host an unpredictable Getafe side at the Nou Camp tomorrow.

And Guardiola is wary of the Madrid-based side, who were one of the few teams to earn a result at the Nou Camp last season.

"They are a tricky side - they have always had good, well-managed teams with good players," he said today.

The Barca coach also warned that his team will lose eventually in the league.

"Sooner or later we will slip up - if we behave well they will find it harder (to beat us), but one day or another we are going to lose," he said.

Guardiola was full of praise for the work done by Getafe coach and former Spain team-mate Michel.

"As a player he was extraordinary - he loves the game and knows a lot of players. I am happy he is doing so well in his first year," he said.

Barcelona will be missing captain Carles Puyol, who is suspended.

Dani Alves and Eric Abidal are both doubtful, but striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic will keep his place, despite his recent goal drought.

"It is one of those things, but he creates spaces - we didn't sign him to score 25 goals a year, but because he does so many other things," Guardiola said.

"That is why Barcelona made such an investment to sign him."

Barca could only draw 1-1 at home to Getafe in the league last season, but have won all of their home matches in the Primera Division so far this term.

Getafe, meanwhile, drew their first league match last weekend.

Before that, the Madrid-based side had won 10 and lost nine as they completed the first half of the season without drawing a single league match.

That run of results has left Getafe well-placed in seventh, just three points behind the European spots.

And having drawn their first match of the season last weekend, coach Michel says another stalemate at the Nou Camp would represent a good result.

"A draw would be an excellent result - normally the team that goes for a draw ends up losing, so we will go for the win and play according to our limitations," he said today.

Getafe lost the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final 2-0 at Sevilla earlier this week, and will host the Andalusians in the second match this coming Wednesday.

But Michel says that clash must not be a distraction tomorrow night.

"We can't go to the Nou Camp thinking that in four days there is another game - we have to be careful with that and the best preparation for the match against Sevilla would be a good result tomorrow," he said.

Jaime Gavilan, Fabio Celestini, Pedro Leon and Adrian Lopez all miss out.

The absence of those four means a rare call-up for out-of-favour striker Kepa Blanco.