Getafe v Barcelona: Depleted champions aim to keep pace with Real

Barcelona visit Getafe hoping to keep pace with Real Madrid at the top of La Liga despite their growing list of absentees.

The Catalan club are level with leaders Real on 21 points and are unbeaten in their last four games and - with the first Clasico of the season just over three weeks away - can ill-afford a slip-up ahead of next month's trip to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Barca travel to Madrid this weekend, and do so on the back of a disappointing 0-0 draw played out by a youthful side in Wednesday's Copa del Rey last-32 first-leg clash with third-tier Villanovense, which ended a run of three straight wins.

Prior to that stalemate, Barca had been in excellent form, with Luis Suarez and Neymar making up for the absence of Lionel Messi - who has not played since September 26 because of a knee injury. 

Getafe have not beaten Barca since 2011 but did hold Luis Enrique's men to a 0-0 draw in the corresponding fixture last season.