La Liga: Real Madrid Beat Getafe to Maintain Pressure on League Leaders Barcelona
Real Madrid maintained their La Liga title hopes with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Getafe at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday night. With Barcelona still leading the league, Los Blancos knew that nothing less than a win would suffice to continue piling the pressure on their arch-rivals — and they duly obliged with a calm and efficient performance.
The victory, highlighted by goals from Joselu and Jude Bellingham, allowed Carlo Ancelotti’s side to remain within striking distance of Barcelona, who continue to top the table after their earlier win against Sevilla. With the season entering its decisive final phase, every point matters, and Real Madrid demonstrated both resolve and experience in securing all three.
First-Half Dominance
From the opening whistle, Real Madrid dictated the tempo of the game. Despite Getafe's compact defensive structure and willingness to play on the break, Madrid had control of possession and gradually built their way into dangerous zones. The breakthrough came in the 27th minute when Joselu, handed a rare start, stood tallest to nod in an accurate cross from Dani Carvajal.
The strike energized the home supporters and eased the team's nerves as they started playing with more fluency. Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo threatened on the wings, pinning Getafe's defense back and allowing space for Madrid's midfield three of Bellingham, Kroos, and Valverde to exploit.
Despite a few stray threats from Getafe — including a long-range attempt by Luis Milla which required a good save from Thibaut Courtois — Real Madrid made it to the break in a comfortable advantage, with most of the action in the Getafe half.
Bellingham Seals It
The second half continued in much the same vein, though Getafe were slightly more adventurous going forward. Their best chance came in the 61st minute when Borja Mayoral was one-on-one with Courtois, but the Belgian keeper was up to it with a smart reflex save.
Just five minutes later, Madrid punished Getafe for that missed opportunity. Jude Bellingham, unusually subdued by his standards in the first half, abruptly found some space outside the box and curled a lovely shot into the far corner to make it 2-0. It was his 11th of the league season and another indication of his growing influence in the Madrid midfield.
From that point, Ancelotti's side managed the game professionally, retaining possession and frustrating any hopes of a Getafe resurgence. The introductions of Eduardo Camavinga and Luka Modrić in the latter stages added some fresh legs and experience to see out the game without issue.
Pressure on Barcelona
With the win, Real Madrid remain two points behind Barcelona, who had previously won a tough 1-0 match against Sevilla with a Robert Lewandowski goal. The title chase will be one of the closest in recent years, with both teams showing good form and resilience.
Ancelotti was pleased with his side's performance. "We knew we had to be patient tonight. Getafe are a disciplined team, but we stayed focused and took our chances when they came our way," he said in the post-match press conference. "There's a long way to go yet, and we'll keep on fighting."
Looking Ahead
Real Madrid's minds turn to the Champions League now, where they have a midweek clash with Borussia Dortmund. Domestic thoughts, however, will firmly be on keeping pace with Barcelona, who have a slightly tougher looking run-in over the next few weeks. With both teams in top form and with so little room for error, the La Liga title chase seems likely to go down to the wire.
For Madridistas, the expectation is that their team's experience, depth, and quality — with players like Bellingham continuing to impress — will be sufficient to tip the balance in their favor when the stakes are highest.
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La Liga: Real Madrid Beat Getafe to Maintain Pressure on League Leaders Barcelona
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