Barcelona make it nine in a row with 3-0 victory over Getafe
Barcelona stretched their winning run to nine games in all competitions by beating Getafe 3-0 at Camp Nou on Saturday.
Barcelona went into the match without top scorer Raphinha, who picked up a hamstring problem on international duty with Brazil. Hansi Flick turned to Gabriel Jesus in his place, and the hosts, chasing an eighth straight LaLiga win, started fast.
Anthony Gordon broke the deadlock in the second minute, his first Barcelona goal in his eighth game since joining from Newcastle United. He bundled past three players and let fly from the edge of the area, with a deflection off a Getafe defender beating David Soria.
Gordon had arrived with four assists but no goals for his new club, though he scored three times for England during the break. He was Barcelona’s most threatening attacker in the first half, with Gavi’s effort from his pass blocked in the 11th minute.
Barcelona kept pressing. Lamine Yamal’s left-footed shot from Gavi’s pass was blocked in the 17th minute, Eric Garcia forced a save from distance, and Dani Olmo had an effort blocked as well. Getafe barely threatened, with Johan Mojica’s long-range attempt sailing narrowly wide.
The second arrived in the 29th minute. Zaid Romero’s careless pass in his own box, under Barcelona’s pressure, fell straight to Gabriel Jesus, who rolled a low right-footed finish into the bottom-left corner, just inside the post, to double the lead.
Getafe’s afternoon worsened when Kiko Femenia was booked for fouling Jesus in the 33rd minute. Romero then went down holding his left leg and left the pitch in tears in the 37th, replaced by Abdel Abqar, soon after his costly error.
Barcelona went in two goals up at half-time, with Mojica booked for felling Jules Kounde just before the break. After the restart, Olmo was cautioned for stepping on Mario Martin, and Gordon collided heavily with Soria, who recovered to continue.
Flick refreshed his midfield in the 59th minute, bringing on Pedri and Fermin Lopez for Gavi and Olmo. Jose Bordalas answered with three changes five minutes later, and Sebastian Boselli was booked in the 70th for pulling back Gordon, Getafe’s third caution.
Kounde sealed the win in the 73rd minute, timing his run to meet Lamine Yamal’s delivery and steering a left-footed finish from close range into the bottom-right corner. It was his first goal of the season, and Soria could do nothing about it.
The defender was also making a record 194th Barcelona appearance for a French player, overtaking Eric Abidal. Getafe claimed a foul on Martin in the build-up, and Ramon Terrats was booked for protesting to referee Gil Manzano, Getafe’s fourth caution.
Lamine Yamal could have added a fourth late on but shot wide from Karim Adeyemi’s pull-back, and Fermin Lopez was booked for dissent in stoppage time. Barcelona saw out the closing minutes comfortably, leaving Getafe with no route back into the game.
It was Barcelona’s eighth win from eight in LaLiga, matching their best start, in 2013-14. They lead Atletico Madrid, who won 2-1 at Alaves earlier on Saturday, by five points, and are nine clear of fourth-placed Real Madrid, who host Villarreal later.