Barcelona achieved the most important and strengthened its lead by defeating its guest Getafe 1-0 on Sunday in the eighteenth stage of the Spanish Football League.
Barcelona pressed hard at the beginning of the match and succeeded in translating its control into a wonderful goal via Pedri (35), but its level declined in the second half and did not pose any great danger to the visitors’ goal.
Barcelona, ecstatic by being crowned the local Super Cup title at the expense of arch-rivals Real Madrid 3-1 in the final match in Riyadh, strengthened its position in the lead with 41 points, temporarily expanding the difference to six points from the title-holder Royal Club, who will visit Athletic Bilbao later.
On the other hand, the balance of Getafe, whose players established an honorary passage for the Catalan club before the start of the match, to congratulate it on winning the Super Cup, froze at 17 points in the sixteenth place, with the third consecutive and ninth loss this season.
Barcelona played the match in the absence of its Polish international scorer Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres due to suspension, and its coach Xavi Hernandez kept his Dutch international midfielder Frankie de Jong and Uruguayan defender Ronald Araujo on the bench.
The Catalan club celebrated its captain, Sergio Busquets, who crossed the barrier of 700 games with his colors. It was the first and most dangerous opportunity for the Catalan club, following a powerful shot by French international Osman Dembele from outside the area, which goalkeeper David Syria pushed away with difficulty before the defense dispersed it (7).
Gavi tried his luck with a powerful shot from outside the area in the hands of goalkeeper Syria (30). Pedri succeeded in opening the scoring when he took advantage of a wonderful cross pass to the Brazilian Rafinha, who followed it with his right from close range into the goal (35). It is Pedri’s fourth goal in the league this season.
German international goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen saved his goal from the equalizer by blocking Individual Borja Mayoral, who took advantage of a wrong ball from Pedri (42). Barcelona waited for the 85th minute to threaten Getafe’s goal with a shot by Ivorian international substitute Frank Kessier from inside the area, which was brilliantly removed by goalkeeper Syria. Ter Stegen continued his brilliance and saved his goal from the equalizer by blocking substitute Juanmi Latasia’s header from close range following a side free kick (90 + 3).
