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Getafe v Barcelona: Visitors hope for more Suarez impact

SoccerNews in La Liga 11 Dec 2014

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Barcelona hope Luis Suarez can continue a run of goalscoring form on Saturday’s trip to Getafe after netting at Camp Nou for the first time.

The Uruguayan forward – subject of a big-money move from Liverpool to Barcelona in the close-season – has largely struggled to live up to his price tag so far, albeit early in his career at the Catalan giants.

Suarez is no longer the main man in attack and has to share the spotlight with both Lionel Messi and Neymar.

He had scored just one goal in eight Barcelona matches before Wednesday but impressed in a new formation as he netted in Barca’s 3-1 UEFA Champions League success against Paris Saint-Germain.

Luis Enrique opted for a 3-5-1-1 formation with Messi and Suarez working together up top, meaning Neymar occupied a role on the left.

All three of Barca’s star forwards scored in a triumph that saw them move top of Group F and win for the eighth game in a row in all competitions.

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen said Suarez has made an excellent impression on his team-mates and hopes his goal triggers a run.

“We are all happy with him,” Ter Stegen said.

“He did a good job today and got his result at the end with a goal.

“He always fights for the team, which is really important. He is really good for the team so I hope he can continue like this.”

Finding a way for Suarez, Messi and Neymar to gel might just be the key to Liga glory.

And despite Real Madrid’s superb 19-match winning run in all competitions, Barca, who sit second, are just two points adrift of them.

Given Real’s form, that represents a good result for Luis Enrique and a 1-0 win at Valencia last month showed his men had the mettle for a title fight.

Barca boast the best defence in the Spanish top flight, having conceded just seven goals in 14 matches, with 13 and 11-goal contributions from Messi and Neymar helping them to a tally of 36 which is bettered only by Real Madrid.

In stark contrast, only one side have scored fewer goals than the paltry 11 netted by 12th-placed Getafe.

French midfielder Abdoul Karim Yoda tops their scoring charts with four but the likes of forwards Babacar Diawara and Alvaro Vazquez need to improve if Cosmin Contra’s side are to snare a top-half finish.

Getafe have not won in any of their last four Liga matches, with a 1-1 draw at Levante last time out particularly disappointing given they conceded the lead with 19 minutes to play.

History does not make pretty reading for Contra’s men, either.

Barcelona are unbeaten in their last seven against Getafe – a run in which they have scored 27 goals.

They met four times last year – twice in the Copa del Rey in addition to their league commitments – with Barca winning on both trips to Getafe.

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