The longer the international break, the earlier we start previewing the next round of league fixtures. Because after all, what else is there to talk about right now? Well, the Manchester City thing, but we’ve covered that in previous posts and will continue covering it in other future posts. But for now we’ll focus on FC Barcelona, table toppers in La Liga, and looking really good in terms of getting another win on Saturday. That’s because mid-to-lower table Getafe comes to town, and Barcelona are feeling better right now, fitness wise. Raphinha, their perennial Ballon d’Or candidate, it turns out, is fine.
FC Barcelona vs Getafe FYIs
Kickoff: Sat. Oct 10th, 6:30pm, Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia
Barca Detailed Injury Report: go here
La Liga Standing, Form: Getafe 11th, 8 pts, LDDLW FC Barcelona 1st, 21 pts, WWWWW
Google Result Probability: Getafe 3% Draw 6% FC Barcelona 91%
Barcelona Team News
Raphinha returned early from the Brazil national team camp, after suffering a minor muscle edema (just a fancy word for swelling) in his right thigh. He is expected to be totally fit, however, and available for selection for this weekend. Ditto for first choice goalkeeper Joan Garcia, who is expected to be fully recovered from his knee problems by the time this match kicks off.
Frenkie de Jong is moving closer towards return after taking a major step forward in his recovery today.
The Dutch midfielder took part in his first group training session in well over two months. While it was only a partial training session, he was with the rest of his teammates, instead of training alone, and that is a massive milestone.
He might be back within a week or two. Meanwhile Eric Garcia (knee) is expected to be passed fit and available for selection while Andreas Christensen and Roony Bardghji remain sidelined as longer-term injury absentees.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.