La Liga
REAL MADRID DISMANTLE GETAFE
Real Madrid made an impressive start to the year as they picked apart a robust Getafe side to win 3-0 in La Liga on Saturday.
Raphael Varane was the instigator of two goals at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez, first pressuring Getafe David Soria into a missed punch and an own-goal before himself heading home a cross from Toni Kroos.
Luka Modric then added a third deep into injury-time after a brilliant first-time pass by Gareth Bale had set Madrid away on the counter-attack.
Victory sends Zinedine Zidane’s side top of the table briefly at least, one point above Barcelona, who play later on Saturday against Catalan rivals Espanyol.
Getafe remain seventh and very much in the race for Champions League qualification. Another excellent season under coach Jose Bordalas is proving last year’s remarkable top-four challenge was far from a fluke.
But their usually stubborn defence was overly-generous as Soria’s mistake and then a free header put Madrid in charge before Modric complete what was, in the end, a comfortable win.
Without either Sergio Ramos, who was suspended, or Eden Hazard, who continues to nurse an ankle injury, this looked an awkward fixture for Zidane’s team on the back of a two-week winter break.
Instead, they keep the pressure on Barcelona before travelling to Saudi Arabia next week, where they could be set for a Clasico final in the Spanish Super Cup, with Valencia up first on Wednesday in the last four.
Hazard will stay at home after Zidane confirmed on Friday the Belgian will not return until later this month at the earliest.
His worryingly extended absence has offered a reprieve for Isco, who started again, and Bale, who twice should have scored in the second half, only to tee up Modric via substitute Fede Valverde.
At the other end, Thibaut Courtois appears finally to be finding his best form after a rocky start since his summer move from Chelsea. Courtois made three strong saves before Varane’s second gave Madrid breathing space.
Getafe’s success under Bordalas has been built upon tenacity as well as discipline and hard work, with right-back Allan Nyom particularly eager to make his presence felt on Bale early on.
Yet one late challenge too many earned Nyom a yellow card and Madrid a dangerous free-kick that led to the opener shortly after the half-hour mark.
Kroos’ cross was put back in by Ferland Mendy on the opposite side and while Soria sprung out to punch, he failed to connect and only succeeded in sending the ball bobbling into his own net.
Karim Benzema tested Soria at his near post but Courtois was the busier of the two keepers. He palmed away a stinging volley from Mauro Arambarri, pushed out a drive from Faycal Fajr and then blocked a close-range header from Leandro Cabrera.
Getafe’s frustration was compounded eight minutes into the second half when an unmarked Varane nodded in Kroos’ whipped cross and the home side never looked like being revived thereafter.
Bale tried to chip Soria and then go round him but made amends for his misses in injury-time.
Mendy twisted free before feeding Bale, who curled the ball beautifully, first time and on the turn, into the path of the sprinting Valverde. He could have scored himself but instead set up Modric, who finished into an open net.
–AFP
Barcelona turned the Clasico into a coronation on Sunday, swatting aside Real Madrid 2-0 at a roaring Camp Nou to claim their 29th LaLiga title.
Hansi Flick’s side moved to an unassailable 91 points, 14 clear of second-placed Real with three games remaining.
The triumph capped a dominant campaign in which they lost only four league matches. Villarreal are third on 69 points.
Real arrived needing victory to keep their wafer-thin title hopes alive, but Marcus Rashford crushed those aspirations just nine minutes into the game.
Antonio Rudiger fouled Ferran Torres just outside the box, and Rashford bent a superb free kick into Thibaut Courtois’ top-left corner, giving Barcelona the early lead and sending the home crowd into raptures.
Nine minutes later, Barcelona doubled the lead. Fermin Lopez crossed into the area, and Dani Olmo produced a clever backheel that sent the ball into the path of Torres, who rifled a fierce strike into the top corner.
The win completed back-to-back league titles for Flick, who also delivered the LaLiga and Copa del Rey double in his first season last year.
Both sides were heavily depleted. Barcelona were without Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Jules Kounde from the starting lineup.
Real’s list of missing players was longer, with Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, Arda Guler and Rodrygo all absent. Federico Valverde also missed out after suffering a head injury following a midweek changing-room fight with team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni, with both players fined 500,000 euros over the incident.
Kylian Mbappe did not travel because of a leg muscle injury, forcing manager Alvaro Arbeloa to start Vinicius Jr alongside academy striker Gonzalo, with Jude Bellingham and Brahim Diaz pushing forward in support.
Real threatened through Vinicius and Gonzalo before halftime, but Barcelona carried the greater menace. Courtois kept the visitors alive with fine saves from Torres and Rashford before the interval.
Barcelona continued to press after the break, Rashford repeatedly tormenting left back Fran Garcia down the right, while Courtois produced another sharp stop with his left foot to deny Torres from point-blank range in the 56th minute.
Bellingham had a goal ruled out for offside in the 62nd minute, and Joan Garcia was quick to deny Vinicius in a one-on-one, preventing the Brazilian from lifting the ball over him.
Real kept probing late on, but there was little bite in their attack, and Barcelona calmly saw out the win before the title celebrations began.
“This title is even more special because we won it at home against Real Madrid. Now it’s time to enjoy it with the fans,” Frenkie de Jong told Spanish broadcaster Movistar Plus.
“Every title has to be celebrated in style. Especially LaLiga, which is a year-long competition. We’ve clearly been the best in Spain.”
-Reuters
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Real Zaragoza goalkeeper Esteban Andrada was sent off for punching Huesca captain Jorge Pulido in a fiery Spanish second division clash on Sunday that descended into a mass brawl, with Huesca keeper Dani Jimenez dismissed for punching Andrada.
Zaragoza’s Dani Tasende was also dismissed after a VAR review of the brawl.
With tensions simmering in a relegation scrap, Argentine Andrada lost his composure moments before the final whistle. Ignoring the run of play, he approached Pulido and struck him in the face with his right hand, sparking chaotic scenes eight minutes into stoppage time.
It was an ugly flashpoint in a match already short on finesse and heavy on nerves, and could carry serious consequences for the goalkeeper.
Huesca manager Jose Luis did not attempt to defend the scenes.
“It’s hard to explain; I think it’s a complete loss of control. I can put myself in their shoes, given what was at stake and all. But it’s unjustifiable. It’s just that I don’t know what to do or how to stop it; a brawl breaks out,” he said.
“It’s ugly; this was supposed to be a celebration of Aragonese football. I’d like people to talk about the match, even though it was ugly, with little play but a lot of hard work.”
Oscar Sielva’s goal secured a 1-0 win for Huesca, lifting them to 36 points in 19th place, while Zaragoza remain second-bottom on 35.
-Reuters
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Joan Laporta has been re-elected as Barcelona president after winning over 68 percent of the vote and will begin his second consecutive term, and fourth overall, from July 1, the club said on Sunday.
The 63-year-old took office in March 2021 and stepped down last month in line with club statutes in order to seek re-election.
Laporta described the election as a “celebration of democracy and civic responsibility” and said the tasks ahead included finishing work on the Camp Nou and strengthening the men’s team.
-Reuters
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