Barcelona 1 – 1 Getafe
Barcelona continues to struggle in La Liga, dropping points in seven of their last eight matches.
After impressive performances in the Spanish Super Cup and Copa del Rey, Barcelona seemed to lose their rhythm again as they returned to La Liga. Despite taking the lead against relegation-battling Getafe, Barça failed to hold their advantage and dropped points yet again.
In their first league match of the year on Saturday night, Barcelona managed only a 1-1 draw away from home. Jules Koundé gave the visitors the lead, but Mauro Arambarri equalized for Getafe before halftime.
Hansi Flick’s team has now dropped points in seven of their last eight league matches, with a record of four losses, three draws, and just one win in that span.
Earlier this year, Barcelona displayed dominance in the Copa del Rey with two massive victories (4-0 and 5-1) to reach the quarter-finals. In the Spanish Super Cup, they claimed their first trophy of the season by defeating Athletic Bilbao 2-0 in the semi-finals and thrashing Real Madrid 5-2 in the final. However, their La Liga form remains disappointing.
Earlier in the day, Atlético Madrid suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat to Leganés, giving Barcelona a chance to close the gap to three points at the top of the table. However, Barça failed to capitalize on the opportunity.
After 20 matches, Barcelona sits in third place with 39 points from 12 wins and three draws. Defending champions Real Madrid are second with 43 points from one game fewer, while Atlético leads the table with 44 points from 20 matches.
Barcelona dominated possession with 78% of the ball and took 21 shots, with five on target. Getafe, in comparison, had nine shots, four of which were on target.
Barça struck early in the ninth minute. Jules Koundé converted Pedri’s pass after the Getafe goalkeeper initially blocked his first effort but failed to clear the ball.
Barcelona had another good chance in the 15th minute, but Alejandro Baldé’s shot missed the target. In the 33rd minute, Lamine Yamal’s cross found Raphinha, whose header narrowly missed the far post.
Despite Barcelona’s dominance, Getafe equalized in the 34th minute. Koba da Costa’s volley was parried by keeper Iñaki Peña, but the rebound fell to Arambarri, who slotted it into the net.
Barcelona came close to a second goal in the 41st minute when Robert Lewandowski’s header from Baldé’s cross went just wide of the post.
The second half saw continued pressure from Barcelona. Lamine Yamal showcased his skill, beating defenders and creating opportunities, but his efforts were either blocked or saved by Getafe’s goalkeeper. Frenkie de Jong and Raphinha also came close, but neither could find the winning goal.
Despite their relentless attempts, Barcelona failed to secure the winner, settling for another frustrating draw.
Getafe sits in 16th place with 20 points from 20 matches, while Barcelona’s hopes of closing the gap at the top remain unfulfilled.
