Barcelona experienced a frustrating start to their LaLiga season as they settled for a 0-0 draw against Getafe in a heated encounter marked by numerous bookings and three red cards. The visiting manager, Xavi Hernandez, was also dismissed from the match.
Despite the scorching heat in south Madrid, Barcelona initially dominated the game. Raphinha, the Brazilian winger, posed a significant threat to Getafe’s defense with his runs down the right channel, creating several scoring opportunities. In the 36th minute, Raphinha came close to opening the scoring, but his close-range strike was blocked by goalkeeper David Soria and narrowly missed the target after bouncing off a teammate.
However, Raphinha’s frustration got the better of him, and he was shown a red card in the 42nd minute for elbowing Gastón Álvarez in the head off the ball. Getafe also found themselves down to ten men in the 57th minute when Jaime Mata was given a second yellow card for a fierce challenge on Ronald Araújo, leaving the match wide open.
Barcelona’s top scorer from last season, Robert Lewandowski, came close to breaking the deadlock with a close-range header in the 63rd minute, but Alvarez managed to clear the ball off the line. In the 71st minute, Barcelona manager Xavi was sent off after expressing his discontent with a decision.
Controversy ensued in added time when the referee, Cesar Soto Grado, failed to award a penalty for a foul on Araujo. After a VAR check, a handball during the build-up was signaled. Despite prolonged complaints and nearly 20 minutes of added time, Barcelona had to settle for a draw. The last time they won a LaLiga game at Coliseum Alfonso Perez was in 2019, and since then, they have had three goalless draws and one 1-0 defeat against Getafe.
A visibly frustrated Xavi voiced his thoughts on the situation, stating, “The referee allowed things to escalate unnecessarily. I told him that he was allowing too many fouls, which ultimately led to my dismissal. Additionally, I don’t see a handball in the last play. It’s also disappointing that 20 minutes were added. We are making ourselves look foolish; it’s absurd.”
He added, “Last year, we started in the same manner and look where we ended up, as champions. I’m pleased with the team’s performance despite being down to ten men. We had opportunities, but unfortunately, we couldn’t capitalize on them.”
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