MADRID — Real Madrid was surprised at home by Getafe, handing the title to Barcelona on a silver platter. With a four-point lead, Barcelona is in a strong position to become champions again. Getafe, wherever they play, is always an extremely uncomfortable team. They know how to organize well defensively and close all spaces, showing great solidarity between the lines and are not afraid to disrupt the game by committing fouls and receiving yellow cards. Against this, patience and spreading the field are required, something Real Madrid failed to do throughout the first half. They had plenty of ball possession and dominated, but could not find a way to penetrate the area and create dangerous situations. The only chance came from a misunderstanding between Domingos Duarte and a teammate. Vinícius Jr. seized the ball, advanced, and what seemed like a certain goal was thwarted by an excellent intervention from visiting goalkeeper David Soria. Deliberately allowing the opponent to dominate, Getafe, calm and unhurried, comfortably executed their efficient defensive game while also looking for quick counter-attacking opportunities with many players. One such opportunity came after half an hour when a loose ball reached Satriano, who sent it into the back of the net without letting it touch the ground. Courtois could do nothing to prevent the magnificent goal from the Uruguayan player, which put the visitors ahead, who soon wasted another good chance to score. Thus, the teams went into halftime with Real Madrid trailing and the fans expressing their discontent with the team's performance, with only Vinícius standing out, who, in the absence of Mbappé, became the true leader of the Madrid squad. Real Madrid started the second half at a higher pace, stepped up, and played closer to Getafe's area, which, despite the pressure, maintained their defensive order, increasingly interrupting the game with fouls and letting time run in their favor. Real created good opportunities. In one of them, from a corner, Rudiger came close to scoring, and then Rodrygo could have netted the much-desired goal. Not seeing any reward for their superiority and the chances they created, the Merengues opted for individual play, with nerves and many hasty decisions against Getafe's seriousness, which accumulated players in defense to protect the three golden points that place them in the middle of the table and far from the relegation zone. The final minutes showcased Real Madrid's impotence, which ended with a player sent off with a red card to Mastantuono. Everything went wrong in a somewhat disappointing display, confirming the highs and lows the team has shown throughout the season. A lack of consistency that could condemn them to not winning anything for the second consecutive year. To complicate matters further, the club confirmed that Mbappé suffered a sprain in his left knee, and it is unknown when he will return. Without him, the outlook is quite bleak. On Friday, the team plays away against Celta, and next week they face none other than Manchester City. It's a daunting prospect. On the Getafe side, Domingos Duarte performed very well, serious and impactful like the entire team. He appeared in the final minutes in attack and even took a shot on Courtois' goal. He had a good performance.
Real Madrid Barcelona remains central to this story.
Real Madrid Barcelona remains central to this story.
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