On February 24, Barcelona secured a crucial 4-0 victory against Getafe, propelling them to the second spot in the LaLiga standings under the guidance of coach Xavi Hernandez. The win comes as a much-needed boost for the defending champions, who have faced a challenging season and additional pressure following Xavi’s announcement of stepping down as manager at the campaign’s end.
In the half-empty Olympic stadium, Barcelona dominated from the outset, with Raphinha opening the scoring in the 20th minute. Exploiting a quick counter, the Brazilian winger capitalized on Jules Kounde’s precise long pass, beating the offside trap and striking past Getafe’s goalkeeper David Soria. Despite Raphinha missing two excellent chances similarly, Getafe’s Luis Milla nearly equalized in the 49th minute with a long-range strike that hit Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s right post.
Barcelona extended their lead in the 53rd minute as Joao Felix tapped in a low cross from Andreas Christiansen. Frenkie De Jong added the third goal with a strike from the edge of the box, following Raphinha’s effective play. Substitute Fermin Lopez sealed the victory with a rebound in added time. Barcelona now sits in second place in the standings with 57 points, trailing leaders Real Madrid by five points and leading third-placed Girona by one point, though both rivals have a game in hand.
Looking ahead, Real Madrid faces Sevilla, and Girona takes on Rayo Vallecano, as they aim to rebound from two consecutive losses and keep their unexpected LaLiga title aspirations alive. Xavi expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, emphasizing a well-rounded display in both defense and attack. He stated, “I’m satisfied with the performance and the result; now we’ll wait to see what Girona and Real do…” in an interview with Movistar Plus.
