Chronicle EditorMADRID. — Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has stressed his side won’t take their eye off the ball despite having a comfortable run-in to the end of the Spanish La Liga soccer season as they chase a fifth title in seven years.
A 2-0 win over local rivals Espanyol on Saturday ensured Barca maintained a two-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the table with just five games remaining.
However, whilst Real have to face Champions League-chasing Sevilla and Valencia in the coming weeks, four of Barca’s last five games come against sides in the bottom half of the table, starting with the visit of Getafe today.
“Whether the run-in is easier or not is in theory, but you need to show that on the field,” said Enrique. Who would have thought we would take one point from two games against Malaga? We will continue to approach all the games until the end of the season in the same way.
“I don’t see why the players are going to change now. I am not worried that they will get complacent, the professionals are the ones most aware of how difficult it is to beat any opponent.”
Goals from Neymar and Lionel Messi at the weekend took Barca’s star front trio of the Brazilian, Argentine and Luis Suarez to within three of a century of goals for the season.
And they could easily reach the 100 mark against a Getafe side that has picked up just one point in three games since putting a healthy distance between themselves and the relegation zone. Thomas Vermaelen could even make his Barca debut nine months after signing from Arsenal as he was given the medical all-clear from a hamstring injury for the first time this season on Sunday. The Belgian’s return means Enrique has a fully-fit squad to choose from and is likely to make a number of changes with one eye already on next week’s Champions League semi-final against Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich.
Fixtures
Today: Barcelona v Getafe (8pm), Athletic Bilbao v Real Sociedad, Levante v Cordoba (10pm)
Tomorrow: Eibar v Sevilla, Real Madrid v Almeria, Celta Vigo v Malaga (8pm), Elche v Deportivo la Coruna, Villarreal v Atletico Madrid (10pm) – AFP.
Thursday: Rayo Vallecano v Valencia (8pm), Granada v Espanyol (10pm). — AFP.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter