Ernesto Valverde’s contract expires in six months’ time but the FC Barcelona coach is only focused on defending the La Liga title.

His team are facing a mean Getafe on Sunday, while Sevilla host Atletico Madrid, as the La Liga leaders look to reach the halfway point of the season.

They need a win at miserly Getafe to take another step towards retaining the title.

Valverde, whose contract expires in June, says he is determined to triumph and is not distracted by anything else.

“Who knows?” said Valverde on Tuesday when asked about his future by the club’s own television channel. “I’m not thinking about the long or very long term. What I want is to win. I don’t know what I’ll be doing next year.”

FC Barcelona have dominated in Spain over the past decade, winning seven of the last 10 titles, and are three points clear at the top of La Liga after 17 matches.

Although team captain Lionel Messi stated at the start of the season that the club’s aim was to win the UEFA Champions League, domestic success appears crucial to that goal.

Nobody will begrudge them that desire, after seeing rivals Real Madrid win the trophy three years running.

FC Barcelona, who have won the European Cup five times, have only ever done so while also triumphing in the Spanish top-flight.

They head to the Coliseum Alfonso Perez on Sunday looking to start 2019 in style, with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez back after an extended winter break.

They will be aiming to unpick the league’s second tightest defence.

Getafe received good news in that regard this week with Djene Dakoman, their key defender, fit again after a foot injury.

The Togo centre-back has been a crucial part of the backline, with Getafe conceding just 13 goals in the opening 17 matches — only Atletico have conceded fewer with 12.

Last season Getafe became the first team to stop FC Barcelona from scoring in a dour 0-0 draw at Camp Nou.

That same defensive solidity has lifted the Madrid side to seventh place.

However midfielder Gaku Shibasaki, who scored a brilliant volley against FC Barcelona in September 2017, will be missing after being called up by Japan to compete in the Asian Cup.

European champions Real Madrid host Real Sociedad on Sunday, with the visitors hoping the new year brings a change in fortunes after a disappointing 2018.

The Basque side, who are 15th, sacked coach Asier Garitano on Boxing Day and his replacement, Imanol Alguacil, is excited about the challenge ahead.

“Surely there is no better place to start (than the Santiago Bernabeu),” said Alguacil.

“We visit an amazing stadium and play against an amazing team, and we will go there as we always do, going out to play, which is to say, trying to take the three points.”

Earlier on Sunday, third-placed Sevilla will host second-placed Atletico Madrid, with Diego Simeone’s visitors able to pull level on 37 points with leaders FC Barcelona before they kick off at Getafe.

Uruguayan defender Jose Maria Gimenez returns from injury for Atletico Madrid, although Lucas Hernandez and Filipe Luis are poised to miss the game, along with striker Diego Costa.

Sevilla will be missing attacking midfielder Franco Vazquez after he was sent off for dissent in the clash with Leganes on Dec. 23.

The Andalusians had rescued a draw from that game in stoppage time.

The weekend’s other fixtures include Levante vs Girona, Espanyol vs Leganes and Real Valladolid vs Rayo Vallecano.

The rest are Alaves vs Valencia, Huesca vs Real Betis, Eibar vs Villarreal and Celta Vigo vs Athletic Bilbao. (Dpa/NAN)

– Jan. 3, 2019 @ 15:25 GMT |