Barca’s hopes of closing the gap at the top of La Liga table were shattered last night as the Blaugrana drew 1-1 against Getafe at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez. The Catalans dominated the game, but defensive lapses and missed opportunities cost them big time. Let’s analyze the game as Barca’s streak of points dropping in La Liga continues.
The Curse of Coliseum Alfonso Perez
The Coliseum has literally become a graveyard for Barca’s hopes as for five straight years, Barca has failed to secure a win in this stadium. The last time Barcelona won here was in 2019 when Luis Suarez and Junior Firpo’s goals saw Barca through.
This last night’s game was frustrating to watch, too. Barca controlled possession and created chances but, once again, left the cursed stadium with only a point. The Blaugrana went into the match after a significant drought at La Liga points, and the drought continues. Why does this venue remain such a mental block for the Catalans?
Hansi Flick’s Struggle Against Low Block Teams
Last night was one of those matches where the calm German, Hansi Flick, was seen angry and frustrated, too. The coach’s reign at Barca has shown immense promise but matches like this show that much work still needs to be done.
Flick started yesterday’s match with a young midfield of Pedri, Casado and Gavi, while Raphinha and Yamal were given wider roles. It worked as Pedri started a beautiful play to set up Kounde’s early goal. However, some poor finishing and defensive issues undid the lead.
Hansi Flick’s substitutions were reasonable but failed to break the compact Getafe lines. The Azulones played very narrowly, with their skipper Djene dropping in the defence and making a backline of five defenders.
Flick’s tactical ideas may be clear, but questions still arise about his ability to break stubborn resistances that teams like Getafe specialize in.
The Getafe Defense
As much as Barca fans are frustrated with Getafe’s time-delaying tactics and fouls last night, credit must be given to a few Getafe players. The goalkeeper, Soria, made four outstanding saves, including a superb strike from De Jong in the second half. He showed composure and had great reflexes. His performance was complemented by Barca’s many missed opportunities, too.
The center-backs Duarte and Alderete were brilliant, too. Both of them collectively made 23 clearances and blocked six shots. The Getafe defense proved too good for Barca players as the Blaugrana failed to bypass it.
Missed Chances and Defensive Lapses
Barcelona players left the Coliseum frustrated and must have felt like they had lost the game. The players had great control of the game but lacked sharpness in front of the goal, and a big defensive mistake gave Getafe’s Arambarri to equalize the score.
These moments of carelessness might haunt the Catalans in the season’s final stretch, as Barca could have closed the gap between them and Atletico last night. The La Liga title race might be slipping away as Barca’s streak of dropping points furthers.