Getafe vs Barcelona, La Liga: Final Score 1-2, Barça win tough road game

Barcelona are now five points clear of Atlético Madrid at the top of the table in La Liga thanks to a 2-1 win away to Getafe in the first game of 2019. This wasn’t a pleasant watch by all means, but Barça scored enough goals against a really good Getafe team to get three big points.

FIRST HALF

The start of the game was quite ugly, with plenty of fouls and yellow cards for both sides. There was just no flow to the game at all, and neither team was able to create anything in the first 20 minutes. Then Barça had their first prolonged period of possession in the match, and after a pass from Arthur was deflected in the air Lionel Messi was quicker than anyone, needed two bites of the cherry but found a way to score the opener.

Barça improved after scoring, having more of the ball and controlling the pace while Getafe continued to press in hopes of creating counter-attacking chances. They didn’t, and Barça started finding more and more spaces in the final third. They won a free kick in the 40th minute, and after it was cleared Luis Suárez scored a spectacular volley from outside the box to double the visitors’ lead.

It seemed like Barça were ready to make three when Messi put Ousmane Dembélé through on goal, but the Frenchman was pushed just outside the box. The referee ignored what seemed a clear foul, and in the very next play Jaime Mata scored for Getafe. The halftime whistle came, and a crazy game looked wide open ahead of the second half.

SECOND HALF

The second half belonged solely to Getafe, who amped up their pressure and started creating chances. Marc-André ter Stegen had to make a few sensational saves, and Jaime Mata missed an incredible chance after rounding the keeper, and Barça wasted a couple of chances on the counter to kill the game.

As we reached the final 10 minutes, it was all about survival for the Blaugrana, and they really needed a goal to make things easier. They didn’t score, but they did a masterful job of passing the ball around, slowing down Getafe’s momentum and waiting for the final whistle. It came, and the leaders are now five points clear at the top of the table. Well done, boys.

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Roberto, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba; Vidal (Busquets), Rakitic, Arthur (Aleñá); Messi, Suárez, Dembélé (Coutinho)

Goals: Messi (20’), Suárez (39’)

Getafe: Soria; Suárez, Dakonam, Cabrera, Antunes; Foulquier (Molina), Maksimovic, Arambarri, Portillo (Ibáñez); Ángel (Sáiz), Mata

Goal: Mata (43’)