Barça is a spring team that has not yet learned to resolve rough matches or those that get complicated in a bad way, those that seem to have no remedy and demand a victory without further explanation, events like the one against Getafe. The Blaugrana conceded a draw in a match that required victory after Atlético’s defeat. The inertia of the Super Cup and the Cup, however, did not reach the League. There is no way for Barcelona to get into the championship due to various circumstances after adding only six points out of the last 24.
1
David Soria, Domingos Duarte, Juan Iglesias, Diego Rico, Omar Alderete, Coba da Costa (Ismael Bekhoucha, min. 91), Djené Dakonam, Carles Aleñá (Carles Pérez, min. 65), Luis Milla, Mauro Arambarri (Yellu Santiago, min. 48) and Christantus Uche
1
Iñaki Peña, Alejandro Balde, Pau Cubarsí, Jules Koundé, Ronald Araujo, Marc Casadó (Frenkie de Jong, min. 45), Gavi (Dani Olmo, min. 61), Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Pedri and Robert Lewandowski (Ferran Torres, min. 80)
Goals
0-1 min. 8: Koundé. 1-1 min. 33: Arambarri
Referee Pablo González Fuertes
yellow cards
Yellu Santiago (min. 52), Djene (min. 85), Flick (min. 93), Bordalás (min. 93), Raphinha (min. 94), Ismael Bekhoucha (min. 94), Alex Balde (min. 95 )
Although they put in the effort and gave the fight a thousand and one turns, the Barcelona fans were unable to resolve a match that they had won with a goal from Koundé. An advantage that they squandered in a bad way, luckily for Getafe. The most prolific team in Europe was unable to score a second goal against one of the least beaten goalkeepers in the League. Bordalás knew how to deny Flick in a match that was already widely seen and was repeated without remission for the Blaugrana at the Coliseum.
Barça did not seem to pay attention to Getafe’s lineup, armored in a kind of 4-1-4-1, without a natural striker and with a central defender moved to the pivot position like Djené. There is no antidote, however, to Pedri’s waistline. The Tenerife player filtered a wonderful pass and Koundé surprisingly appeared in the middle of the opposing defense. The winger controlled the ball, shot, rejected the goalkeeper and, after a struggle, pushed the ball into Soria’s net. The surprise appearance of Koundé in a team that included Lewandowski, Lamine and Raphinha confused Getafe and endorsed Flick’s plan after four fruitless visits by the Blaugrana to the Coliseum. Barça had not scored in Getafe since 2019. That day Luis Suárez and Junior scored and 409 minutes later Koundé scored.
The patience and effectiveness in the goal play, however, did not continue in Barcelona. After a very interesting start, due to the rhythm and fluidity, a very strange time followed because the team could not find the timingso that he accelerated or stayed still, repetitive in losses and exposed to Getafe’s physical football. The duels, the fouls and the rejections followed one another to the unrest of Flick. The Blaugrana were exposed to the second plays that Bordalás’ team dominates and ended up giving up the tie when Arambarri found himself in the goal mouth with a ball cleared by Iñaki Peña from a shot by Coba. The Barcelona defense was very contemplative and not very expeditious after Raphinha had forgiven the 0-2 in a precise cross from Koundé.
The Blaugrana had disconnected ahead of time, as if they had declared the match won at 0-1, aware of the difficulty of beating Getafe, a team that has not conceded more than two goals in any League match. The match returned to the starting point and then neither Koundé nor Araújo knew how to finish off a Lewandowski header from a Balde cross. The break invited Barça to move the bench due to the lack of depth and Flick opted for De Jong. The match, however, was still very close, conducive to Getafe’s intimidating football. Although Raphinha and Lamine had a hard time getting into the game, Barça managed to change the dynamic little by little, charge the attack and step into the opponent’s area, now with Olmo on the field after replacing Gavi.
The Blaugrana persevered in the interior game and demanded the best defensive version of Getafe. Bordalás’ team was especially vigilant so that Barça could not create the shot and from time to time stretched towards Peña’s goal. Although few, the Barça opportunities were clear, especially one from De Jong, whose shot was deflected by Soria, and a second from Raphinha. Getafe, superior in the areas, managed to cheat the game as usual, and Barça became unhinged in a sterile melee, with the game constantly interrupted, without being able to focus on Soria.
Barça’s frustration was evident at the end of the unpleasant game in Getafe. The day ended with a bang when an unequivocal response was expected from a team that was misguided in its finishing due to the number of forwards that Flick put in place. Barça, which was an outstanding leader, has lost the thread of the League.
