Draw with Getafe 0-0 in the round of 29 on April 16, Barca went through a series of three matches, including two consecutive 0-0 matches in La Liga.
Final result Getafe vs Barca (0-0)
Yesterday, Xavi surprised when he pushed Alejandro Balde – a player with a forte as a left-back – on the left striker, combined with Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha to form a trio in attack. Other attacking stars like Ferran Torres or Ansu Fati are in reserve, while Ousmane Dembele is still out due to injury. On the opposite side, Getafe plays with a 5-3-2 formation in favor of defense, with the striker duo Borja Mayoral and Enes Unal.
At the Alfonso Perez field, the away team dominated when holding the ball 67%, finishing 15 times with three shots on target, compared to Getafe’s 5 and 1. Barca’s best opportunity came in the 25th minute, when Raphinha penetrated the penalty area and hit the column in the face of goalkeeper David Soria. The ball bounced to Alejandro Balde’s position, but the Spaniard continued to kick and hit the post.
In the second minute of compensation, captain Sergio Busquets crossed just enough for Robert Lewandowski to head high, but Soria hugged him. Early in the second half, the Polish striker missed a similar opportunity when he missed the column from Jordi Alba’s cross.
Wasting the opportunity, Barca almost paid the price in the 86th minute. From Getafe’s quick counter-attack, midfielder Ronald Araujo cleared the ball, creating conditions for Mayoral to finish comfortably in the penalty area. Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was rooted, but the ball went wide of the post.
This result extended Barca’s disappointing series of matches, after drawing with Girona 0-0 in round 28 of La Liga and losing 0-4 to Real in the semi-finals of the King’s Cup, both at Camp Nou. Barca experienced two consecutive goalless draws in La Liga for the first time from May 2005 to August 2005. But this is the first time they have lost two consecutive matches in La Liga in a season, since September 1993.
After the match, Xavi said that the Alfonso Perez pitch was not good affecting Barca’s performance, but insisted that this was not an excuse and asked the students to immediately get up. The Spaniard is also not worried about a losing streak, saying these are the moments that can happen in a season.
Two consecutive 0-0 draws did not affect Barca’s La Liga championship ambitions, when they were still leading with 73 points, nine points ahead of Real, with nine rounds remaining in the season. In the next round, Xavi’s teachers and students returned to the Camp Nou home ground to receive Atletico – the club that was in third place – on April 23.
Getafe vs Barca lineup
Getafe: Soria, Duarte, Dakonam, Alderete, Suarez (Alvarez 83), Maksimovic (Algobia 76), Milla, Iglesias (Portu 67), Mayoral, Unal (Villar 82), El Haddadi (Alena 76).
Barca: Ter Stegen, Kounde, Araujo, Roberto (Garcia 18), Alba (Torres 68), Gavi, Busquets, Kessie (Fati 68), Raphinha (Torre 88), Balde, Lewandowski.