Real Madrid vs Getafe Review
Real Madrid closed the gap to just one point from the top of La Liga after defeating Getafe 2-0 at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, marking their 16th straight home victory against Getafe. With league leaders Barcelona suffering a 2-1 loss to Las Palmas on Saturday, there was added pressure on a Real Madrid squad heavily impacted by injuries to secure a win and get closer to their long-time rivals, something that seemed unlikely just a few weeks ago. Getafe, on the other hand, came into the match with back-to-back wins for the first time since December 2023, and they put up a strong defense, restricting Carlo Ancelotti’s team to very few opportunities in the first 25 minutes.
The game took a dramatic turn just before the 30-minute mark when Antonio Rüdiger was fouled in the penalty area by Allan Nyom after a corner kick. Following Kylian Mbappé’s penalty miss earlier in the week, Jude Bellingham took over penalty responsibilities and calmly converted the spot-kick. Bellingham’s poise seemed to inspire Mbappé, who quickly added to Madrid’s lead with a stunning 20-yard shot after receiving a great pass from Bellingham.
Just after halftime, there was a sense of relief in the away section when the referee reversed his initial penalty call against Juan Berrocal after a VAR review. Following that moment, Getafe nearly scored on a rare attack, with Christantus Uche hitting the post as the game neared the hour mark. José Bordalás, who had lost all five of his previous encounters against Ancelotti, appeared frustrated as his team struggled to capitalize on their earlier opportunity. Meanwhile, Real Madrid looked more likely to score again, with Federico Valverde forcing a solid save from Soria, and Mbappé missing a golden chance to increase his goal tally.
The Azulones suffered their third loss in four matches, remaining just one position above the relegation zone. On the other hand, Real is now just one point away from the top of the table and has a game in hand, with only Barcelona managing to defeat them at the Bernabéu in league play since April 2023.
