Barcelona faced a challenging encounter against Getafe in La Liga on Saturday, resulting in a 1-1 draw, while Atlético Madrid saw its remarkable winning streak conclude with a disappointing late-game penalty miss by Antoine Griezmann.
In the match, Barcelona managed to score their first goal in five attempts at Getafe’s venue, with Jules Koundé netting in the 10th minute. However, Getafe quickly equalized and held strong against the Catalan giants, securing their fourth consecutive draw at home against them. The last victory for Barcelona at Coliseum Stadium dates back to 2019, turning this matchup into a recurring hurdle for the team.
As Real Madrid prepared to play Las Palmas on Sunday, they aimed to capitalize on any lapses from their closest competitors. Meanwhile, Atlético Madrid’s impressive 15-match winning streak came to an end with a 1-0 defeat against Leganés, marking their first loss since late October. Still, Atlético maintained a slim lead of one point over Madrid in the standings, while Barcelona trailed by five as the league entered its second half.
Despite recent dominant performances, including a 5-2 victory against Real Madrid in the Super Cup and a 5-1 win over Real Betis in the Copa del Rey, Barcelona struggled against José Bordalás’s Getafe, known for its tough defensive strategies. Hansi Flick, Barcelona’s new coach, faced a stern test in this contest. Bordalás declared, “This was another exercise in survival. Taking a point today is like getting a win.”
Koundé opened the score for Barcelona after a clever pass from Pedri found him making a run into the box. Although Getafe’s goalkeeper David Soria initially blocked Koundé’s shot, the defender managed to reclaim the rebound and push it across the line. Shortly after, Raphinha attempted a header from Koundé’s cross, which went narrowly off target. Getafe equalized in the 34th minute, taking advantage of a defensive lapse. Mauro Arambarri found the net after a one-handed save by Barcelona’s Iñaki Peña could not prevent the follow-up. Koundé lamented, “We controlled the game but they scored on the one chance they had; it is too bad. We didn’t have our finishing touch.”
In the Atlético match, Griezmann had a crucial opportunity to equalize against Leganés after a handball was called following a VAR review. However, his penalty kick veered wide of the goal. In the first half, both Griezmann and Julián Alvarez hit the woodwork, yet the visitors struggled to recover after a defender’s header allowed Leganés to claim the lead in the 49th minute. Atletico had previously broken its record of 13 consecutive wins set during the 2012-13 season.
Returning to the top division this season, Leganés has emerged as a formidable opponent, having previously stunned Barcelona when they were the leaders in December. This latest win propelled Leganés to 15th place in the standings. “We don’t have anything special, this is just the result of the hard work we put in each week,” remarked Leganés goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic. “We have beaten two of the three big teams in the league, so we have no excuse not to perform like this each time out.”
For Atletico, which made significant investments over the summer, the focus remains on securing its third league title under coach Diego Simeone, previously winning in 2014 and 2021. Simeone noted that in those championship seasons, his team also faced defeats against lower-ranked clubs but still managed to triumph over Barcelona and Madrid to clinch the title.
Simeone reflected, “We had 15 wonderful games, a record in the history of this club. It was a great run that benefitted us in the league, Copa del Rey, and Champions League.” Notably, Atlético defenders Javi Galán and Clement Lenglet each received their fifth yellow cards, ruling them out for the next fixture against Villarreal while the team prepares to face Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday.
In other match highlights, Alaves striker Kike García scored a hat trick in a 3-1 victory over 10-man Real Betis. García opened the scoring after being fouled in the box, converting a penalty early in the match. Following Betis’s red card for Romain Perraud, García secured his treble with two more goals, showcasing his striking prowess despite being known primarily as a diligent forward.
Dodi Lukébakio also made headlines for Sevilla, scoring a stunning solo goal in the 89th minute to clinch a 2-1 comeback win against Girona, marking his ninth goal of the season. His decisive effort illustrates the caliber of players emerging in this competitive season of La Liga.
