Barcelona move within sight of La Liga title after trip to the dentist in Getafe

Getafe 0-2 Barcelona

Barcelona moved 11 points clear of Real Madrid atop the La Liga table, with just five points separating them from the title with five games to go, after eeking out a win over the miserly Getafe. La Liga’s proverbial trip to the dentist, Barcelona had not beaten Getafe at the Coliseum since 2019. Even if Barcelona were not at their fluid best, arguably the most difficult away trip was resolved with a comforting lack of drama for Hansi Flick.

The first chance of the match went to Barcelona after four minutes, Dani Olmo slipping past Domingos Duarte with languid elegance, before dragging a shot wide. If that opening felt unusually easy against Getafe, it’s because it was. The game began to take on cubist shape, all fits and starts, without smooth edges. In other words, it was being played at the tempo Getafe wanted.

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Despite Barcelona’s efforts to advance, it wasn’t until the 36th minute that a pocket of space appeared out of the organised blue defence. Roony Bardghji exchanged passes with Jules Kounde, but a little too eager to impress, rifled wide of the far post. Getafe were living through set pieces, but when they did have them, looked threatening.

Hence why Jose Bordalas will have been so frustrated to see his side go in behind at the break. With the game in a profound siesta, Pau Cubarsi got his foot in the way of a Getafe attack, and almost without pause, Pedri played the pass. Bowling it between the full-back and centre-back in two, Fermin Lopez was on the same wavelength, and kept his nerve to find the bottom right corner from the left side of the box.

Relaxed by their lead, Barcelona played with little urgency in the opening minutes of the second period, enticing Getafe onto them. Flick seemed to have found a nook in the Getafe defence too, pushing Kounde in behind and going over the top. From there he nearly got in behind once, and the second time he provided a pass for Olmo that arguably should have been scored, but David Soria was able to divert it around the post from close range.

A brief flurry of open space appeared just before the hour, when Pedri robbed the ball in midfield, and driving at the backline, nearly slid Bardghji in on goal, but for a magnificent stretching interception from Dakonam Djene. Envious, Getafe did some attacking of their own. Martin Satriano did brilliantly to hold the ball up, before Mauro Arambarri clipped Mario Martin in behind, only to find he had no support in the box. It did enthuse the Coliseum though, and now Getafe were pressing Barcelona high up the pitch.

It took another 15 minutes to take effect. A raking ball from the left by Davinchi required first an essential flick from Gerard Martin to keep it from Mario Martin. Luis Vazquez controlled at the back post and fired back across the six-yard box. Only a heroic last ditch block from Cubarsi prevented Mario Martin from levelling the score. That was the first part of the turning point in the match. From the resulting corner, Getafe left only one back to account for onrushing attackers, and when Robert Lewandowski launched substitute Marcus Rashford in behind from his own box, he had a clear run at Soria. The England international made no mistake, slotting to the right side of Soria, Djene unable to close in time.

Just as Barcelona struggled to move the ball at the pace they might have wanted, only periodically making incisions, Los Azulones were unable to make their visitors squirm in the manner they so often do. If Bordalas’ side imposed the rhythm and shape of game they preferred, Barcelona didn’t suffer enough defensively to insert extra doubt into their possession play.

It sees a run of three months with just one defeat at home end for Getafe, and a run of seven years without defeat at home to Barcelona snapped in the process. They provisionally remain 6th, awaiting results from Celta Vigo, Real Sociedad and Athletic Club. Barcelona left the dentist’s office with a few aches, but a shiny new title in their sights.

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