Getafe 1-1 FC Barcelona: The Coliseum resists again

Thanks to Atlético Madrid’s defeat at Leganés, Barça had a wonderful chance this Saturday to tidy things up a little at the top of the Liga table, but rather than three points, they have only managed to narrow the gap on the leaders by one.

For the fifth season in a row, they are coming back from Getafe winless, and extremely irritated after utterly controlling the game, but failing to get the better of an opponent whose plan was about ultra-tight defending and spoiling tactics. Jules Kounde’s early goal looked to have set things on the right track, but the home side managed to scramble an equaliser and then built up a wall so solid that Barça could find no way to break it down.

The Super Cup and Copa del Rey have brought some beautiful moments in 2025, but the return to La Liga was a lot less joyous, and that’s now just one win in eight games for Barça in La Liga.

Kounde does it again

Much as Barça have been playing astonishing football of late, just getting a goal was a relief. As they had been reminded constantly all week in the build-up, that was something they had not managed on their last four visits to the Coliseum.

Set up by a devilish through ball from Pedri, there was an element of fortune as Getafe keeper David Soria thrice failed to clutch the ball and Kounde eventually got a finishing foot on it instead.

Getafe level

Despite leading, Barça struggled to get a full grip on the game, although Getafe were causing very little in the way of real threat. But on one of their rare forays into the blaugrana half, they found a way to equalise.

Iñaki Peña got a tremendous outstretched hand on the end of Coba da Costa’s strike, but only to knock the ball straight into the path of the waiting Mauro Arambarri.

This was turning out to be a toughie, but Barça really should have regained the lead just before half-time. Robert Lewandowski glanced a header right across the face of the goal and although he had two team-mates ideally placed to knock it over the line, Getafe were let off the hook.

Kept out

Barça had all the possession and the pretty football, neither of which were major objectives for the team in blue. But Getafe defend spectacularly. Despairingly, chance after chance ended up with a blue shirt in the way. The concern was not so much that Getafe might score again as it was that Barça might not do so either… And doesn’t the clock seem to tick so much faster in these situations?

Frenkie de Jong finally found space to shoot. Some save from Soria… Raphinha had to score at the far post… Side netting.

Barça were throwing everything forward now and Getafe were just blocking and thumping the ball as far away from the goal as they possibly could. Tensions were building, and the climax seemed to involve as much pushing, shoving and rolling on the floor as there was football, and a very frustrated Barça ended up hearing the final whistle, knowing that this was not one point won but two points dropped.