La Liga leaders Real Madrid make the short trip to Getafe in the south of the capital on Saturday still waiting for Angel di Maria to return from injury.
The Argentina winger has not played since the turn of the year as he has struggled with a thigh problem, though he joined the rest of the group for training on Friday.
"He has had a little problem and it is best to wait. Until he is 100 percent he will not return," Real's assistant coach Aitor Karanka told reporters on Friday.
"It's always tough to play there," Real midfielder and former Getafe player Esteban Granero told the club website. "They always make life very difficult for us."
Barcelona are seven points adrift of Real in second place and host Real Sociedad on Saturday with one eye on next week's King's Cup semi-final second leg at home to Valencia. They drew 1-1 at the Mestalla on Wednesday.
"There is a greater intensity in the play, there is more union and everyone is pulling in the same direction," Merida said ahead of Sunday's visit of third-placed Valencia.
"I have no problems with Freddy... those who have been saying we had a fight, that he didn't want to train, that I kicked him out of the session, it isn't true," Marcelino said on Friday ahead of the visit of Villarreal on Sunday.
Sporting Gijon sacked Manuel Preciado, who had been La Liga's longest serving coach, during the week and his number two Inaki Tejada takes the reins for Sunday's visit of Osasuna.
