Barcelona’s struggle to capitalise on opportunities in La Liga continued on Saturday as they were held to a 1-1 draw against Getafe. Despite leaders Atletico Madrid suffering a shock 1-0 defeat to Leganes earlier in the day, Barcelona failed to close the gap at the top, leaving them five points behind the league leaders.
Jules Koundé gave the Catalan side an early advantage, scoring in the ninth minute after being set up by Pedri. Although Getafe’s goalkeeper David Soria saved Koundé’s initial shot, the French defender converted the rebound to break Barcelona’s recent scoring drought at Getafe’s Coliseum. However, the hosts equalised in the 34th minute when Mauro Arambarri slotted home after Barcelona goalkeeper Iñaki Peña parried an earlier shot. From there, José Bordalás’ side executed a disciplined defensive performance, frustrating Barcelona’s attempts to find a winner.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick expressed determination despite the dropped points. His team, fresh off victories in the Spanish Super Cup and Copa del Rey, failed to carry that momentum into their first league game of 2025.
Robert Lewandowski, La Liga’s top scorer, was kept quiet by a resilient Getafe defence, while Raphinha missed a late chance to steal all three points, hitting the side netting after a pinpoint cross from Lamine Yamal.
The match was further overshadowed by allegations of racist abuse directed at Barcelona defender Alejandro Balde by some Getafe fans during the first half. The incident once again highlighted persistent issues of racism within Spanish football.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid’s record-breaking 15-match winning streak came to an end with their defeat to Leganes. Serbian defender Matija Nastasić headed the home side into the lead early in the second half. Atletico were handed a lifeline in the dying minutes with a controversial penalty for handball, but Antoine Griezmann dragged his effort wide, compounding his team’s frustration. Atletico coach Diego Simeone remained optimistic despite the loss. “These 15 games were extraordinary. We need to accept that defeat is part of the game and focus on preparing for the Champions League,” he said, referencing their upcoming clash with Bayer Leverkusen.
