Getafe is an impenetrable fortress for Barca

Visiting Getafe became a traumatic experience for Barcelona, ​​who did not manage to score a goal for the fourth time in a row (0:0). The victory of the home team in 2020 (1:0) was followed by two goalless games in 2022, and the same epilogue was seen tonight, and the champion of Spain opened the new championship race with only one point on his account. In a match that brought more "fighting" than football, the rivals finished the game with ten players each on the field, while the Catalans met the referee's final whistle without Xavi on the bench.

Barcelona was determined to start the new campaign with a victory against a tough team, and Getafe wanted to continue their mini-undefeated series against the champions and the game turned into a fighting competition. Home team defenders used every opportunity to kick the Barca players without the ball, and referee failed to see it all. But Raphinha, one of the liveliest one on the pitch has enough and earned a straight red card with an unsportsmanlike move in the 42nd minute and left his teammates to continue fighting with a numerically stronger rival. However, the balance of power was equalized in the 57th minute when Juan Mata received a second yellow card for a foul, and the second dismissal did not end the disciplinary measures that referee Cesar Soto Grado was forced to take.

Due to unsportsmanlike behavior, Xavi also earned a red card, and the end of the game was ‘spiced up’ by as many as five yellow cards. However, the Spanish referee managed to keep the strings of the match in his hands and preserve justice until the final whistle. Deep in stoppage time, i.e. in the 103rd minute, he was put to the strongest test possible. Iglesias kicked Araujo and committed an obvious foul in his penalty area, but Grado made a bold and correct decision despite the call from the VAR room. Regardless of the guests' protests, the referee did not point to the penalty spot because the offense was preceded by a handball by Gavi, so with the referee's decision, Barcelona's last hopes of scoring a goal away from Getafe after more than 360 minutes fell into the water.

LA LIGA - MATCHDAY 1

Friday

Almeria - Rayo Vallecano 0-2 (0-2)

/Palazon 20 pen, Nteka 28 pen/

Sevilla - Valencia 1-2 (0-0)

/En Nesyri 69 - Diakhaby 60, Guerra 88/

Saturday

Real Sociedad - Girona 1-1 (1-0)

/Kubo 5 - Dovbyk 72/

Las Palmas - Mallorca 1-1 (1-0)

/Viera 29 pen - Raillo 70/

Athletic Club - Real Madrid 0-2 (0-2)

/Rodrygo 28, Bellingham 36/

Sunday

Celta Vigo - Osasuna 0-2 (0-1)

/Garcia 24, Gomez 74/

Villarreal - Betis 1-2 (0-1)

/Cuenca 61 - Perez 20, Jose 90+5/

Getafe - Barcelona 0-0 (0-0)

Monday

20:30 (2.20) Cadiz (3.20) Alaves (3.80)

22:30 (1.35) Atletico Madrid (5.30) Granada (10.5)

***odds are subject to change***