Barcelona got good news about star Lionel Messi this week and as they get ready for La Liga play against Getafe on Sunday, the club is expecting to get Messi back soon after the New Year and he will be recovered in time for the Champions League schedule as well and the match will be streaming online on beIN Sport Play for the game.
Barcelona comes into the match after winning over Cartagena last week and the team is coming up on some tough La Liga matches and they have some games at Estadio Camp Nou as well as the Copa del Rey and then later in February the Champions League knockout round. Barca has had a rough week with some stories coming out about financial issues with the club and manager Martino has been under scrutiny as well and during all this, Lionel Messi has been out and he is expecting to return soon and he popped up in the news as well after he made some waves about the board after they said that Messi did not deserve a raise.
Check here for the Barcelona and Getafe live coverage.
Here is a look back from last week for Barcelona and their La Liga and Champions League Play from Reuters.com:
Leaders Barcelona need to reproduce the free-flowing tactics that allowed them to crush Celtic in the Champions League when they face a tricky La Liga outing against Villarreal this weekend, coach Gerardo Martino said.
The Catalan side shrugged off a recent dip in form, during which they were beaten by Ajax and Athletic Bilbao, with an inspired display to beat Celtic 6-1 on Wednesday.
After securing top spot in their Champions League group, they will be keen to preserve their number one status in La Liga, where they lead Atletico Madrid on goal difference.
"We need to keep playing like we did against Celtic and I think if we do that then we have a good chance of getting to the final of all the competitions this season," Martino told a news conference ahead of the match against fifth-placed Villarreal.
Villarreal returned to the top flight this season and have impressed with the quality of their football led by former-Barca player Giovani dos Santos in attack.
"They play the same way home and away. They have very strong players in all areas of the pitch," said Martino. "All games are tests and mistakes are expensive especially against a side like Villarreal who are strong."
Barca's form has been hit by the absence of Lionel Messi, Victor Valdes and Dani Alves but the list of those out injured has eased.
"We have to go bit by bit with players coming back and the last was Cristian Tello and now Cesc Fabregas is also available (after suspension)," said Martino, who is in his first season at the Nou Camp.
"It is important that the players return and get used to playing in their positions. I can learn more about them by watching them not just on the pitch but also in training and how they work.
"I didn't play (Andres) Iniesta against Celtic because he wasn't quite 100 percent but he could have come on if necessary. Now he is in a better condition to face Villarreal. Alves is almost ready and just needs a couple more training sessions."
With Lionel Messi not due back from injury until next month, Barcelona will be looking to Neymar to add to Wednesday's hat-trick against Celtic and help the champions get back to winning ways in La Liga.
Barca needed a convincing Champions League performance against the Scottish side after consecutive defeats to Ajax Amsterdam and Athletic Bilbao and the Brazil forward responded with his first goals in Europe's elite club competition in a 6-1 romp at the Nou Camp.
Bought from Santos in the close season for a fee of close to 60 million euros ($82.7 million), Neymar had been threatening to explode into life without really delivering and the 21-year-old's performance on Wednesday, when he also assisted a Pedro goal, suggested he may have turned a corner.
Assuming the mantle of Argentine World Player of the Year Messi would be a heavy burden for anyone, let alone a man in his early 20s, but Neymar appears anything but phased by the responsibility. Barca's shock reverse at Bilbao, their first of the domestic league campaign, erased their three-point lead at the top over Atletico Madrid and they host fifth-placed Villarreal on Saturday (1900 GMT) in the 16th round of games.
Villarreal spent a season in the second division last term but have impressed on their return to the top flight.
With the likes of Mexican forward Giovani Dos Santos and captain and midfielder Bruno Soriano excelling, they are likely to give Barca a stern test, while another player who has been a key factor in their success is Cani.
The 32-year-old attacking midfielder has hit some of the best form of his career and was rewarded this week with a contract extension until June 2017. Third-placed Real Madrid play at Osasuna earlier on Saturday (1500) and a win would put them level on 40 points with Barca and Atletico at the top by the time Barca kick off against Villarreal.
Atletico, like Barca and Real through to the last 16 of the Champions League, host Valencia on Sunday (2000) after fourth-placed Bilbao, eight points behind Real and one ahead of Villarreal, play at Sevilla (1800). (Reuters)
