Barcelona’s dream start to the season suffered a major blow as they were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw against Getafe, a team they have struggled against in recent years. This match was a stark reminder of their inconsistency in La Liga, where they have only managed to secure six points from the last 24 available. With Real Madrid set to increase their lead to seven points if they beat Las Palmas this weekend, the pressure on the Catalan side is already palpable.
Upon arrival at the Coliseum, Barcelona were greeted by a banner from Getafe fans: “Same game, different rules.” This was an explicit reference to the controversial Olmo case, which further fueled the tense atmosphere surrounding the match. Despite the distractions off the field, Barcelona were determined to start strong.
Olmo started the match on the bench and was only introduced later in the game, leaving Lewandowski to take the central striker role. However, the Polish striker had little impact, settling for a single header intercepted by Koundé and Araujo. Hansi Flick chose not to change his midfield strategy, even with Gavi’s outstanding performance. Casadó was replaced by De Jong at half-time, but Flick’s confidence in the duo with Pedri appears unshakeable. Additionally, Iñaki Peña started in goal, reaffirming Flick’s preference for stability within the team despite Szczesny’s presence in the Super Cup.
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Barcelona’s good intentions showed during the first 30 minutes as Pedri took control of the midfield. His skillful play was decisive in creating the first goal. Despite the many challenges posed by Bordalás’ team, Pedri dug into the opposition defense, preparing a shot for Koundé. Confident, Koundé saw his first attempt saved by Soria, but he was unable to stop Koundé’s follow-up, marking his first consecutive goal in two matches.
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It had been since September 2019 that Barcelona had not scored at Getafe, and while that would seem to be a good omen, the narrative quickly drifted into a familiar painful story for them. Moments later, Raphinha slightly missed a header, hitting the side netting. The miss proved decisive, as it paved the way for Getafe’s equalizer. The home team, operating with just one striker also playing in midfield, had been largely absent from the game. However, Bordalás’ teams thrive on exploiting moments of uncertainty, and when Peña did Failing to deal with a shot from Aleñá, Arambarri seized the opportunity, driving the ball into the goal with his knee after a chaotic scrum in the area.
Flick’s adjustments did not bear fruit, as Olmo struggled to find space. De Jong tried his luck from distance against Soria, but Barcelona’s attack remained stagnant, lacking the verticality needed to break through Getafe’s lines. Lamine looked to impose himself but struggled to navigate through several defenders, while Getafe’s anti-play tactics further dampened any comeback potential.
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“I don’t think people can accept that life is meaningless,” the late director David Lynch once said, capturing the absurdity of both cinema and football. At Getafe, Barcelona were left to ponder what could have been, as they now face the pressing challenge of regaining their La Liga form.
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