Real Madrid clinched another important win in La Liga on matchday 33 as they beat Getafe 1-0 on Wednesday at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez. Arda Guler scored the only goal of the game in the first half for the Whites, who remain four points behind Barcelona in the title race with five matches to play.
Their most recent success was the third successive game in which Carlo Ancelotti’s men won 1-0, a series which last occurred in 2020 under Zinedine Zidane on the way to winning La Liga in 2019/20. Since February, the Merengues have won only one league game by a margin of more than one goal.
Los Blancos started the match in dominant fashion, and although they struggled against Getafe’s constant fouling and physical pressure, they managed to pass the ball around well and create chances. For much of the opening half, the hosts did not have any clear-cut chances.
Unlike against Athletic Bilbao, when they scored late, Real Madrid needed just 21 minutes to break the deadlock this time out. After a counter-attack by Vinicius Junior which Getafe nearly cleared, Guler’s right-footed shot from outside the box found the back of the net to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Endrick had a chance to double the tally soon thereafter following a neat one-two with Vinicius Junior but the 18-year-old’s attempt was cleared off the line by Getafe. He was one of the players most impacted by the physicality of the match and was left frustrated once more by the opponents.
The second half saw Getafe have a better share of the ball while Real Madrid defended deep and attempted to play on the break. They had one huge chance in stoppage time, which Thibaut Courtois repelled to keep his team in the lead and ensure they would go back home with all three points.
In the overall context, it was a less eventful match than many would’ve expected, but one that was crucial for Real Madrid to win with the title race hanging in the balance, although there was a moment of misfortune for the side with Eduardo Camavinga’s injury that will rule him out for three months.
Next up for the Whites is the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona on Saturday at the Estadio La Cartuja in Seville. They will look to win against their arch rivals for the very first time this season but admittedly, the players need to perform significantly better than they have done in recent times.