La Liga 2024-25: Barcelona maintains perfect record with 1-0 win over Getafe

Barcelona defeated Getafe 1-0 at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Wednesday night (local time) and thereby maintained their perfect start to the 2024-25 La Liga campaign. The hosts secured all three points courtesy of Robert Lewandowski's lone goal inside the opening 19 minutes. 

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Getafe created the first real chance of the match in the seventh-minute when Alex Sola dispossessed Lamine Yamal on the left flank and delivered a perfect cross for Carles Perez, but the 26-year-old's powerful header from close range went straight to Barca goalkeeper Inaki Pena Sotorres. The 25-year-old custodian was making his first start of the season after first choice keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen sustained a serious knee injury in Barca's 5-1 win away to Villarreal on Sunday.

The hosts took the lead in the 19th-minute after Getafe keeper David Spria spilled a cross from right-back Julies Kounde and Lewandowski slotted home from close range. The Polish striker has now scored seven goals from as many games for Barca this season. On the half-hour mark, Lewandowski once again put the ball inside the net, but the linesman raised his flag for off side. Two minutes later, the 36-year-old had a golden chance to complete his brace when he was released down the left channel but Soria stood firm to deny the former Bayern Munich man at the near post. 

In the 58th-minute, Yamal cut inside from the right and tested Soria with a stunning left-footed curler. Soria was having a busy night as the Spaniard made yet another brilliant save, this time diving low to his right to keep out Raphinha's free-kick. Nine minutes from time, Kounde picked up Raphinha inside the box, but the Brazilian couldn't keep his free-header on target. 

Barcelona dominated the proceeding in front of their own supporters, having close to 80 % possession and attempting 15 shots with four on target, compared to just a solitary effort on target by the visitors. Meanwhile, the hosts nearly paid for not taking their chances as Juan Iglesias' cross from the right flank found an unmarked Borja Mayoral inside the area, but the 27-year-old failed to make a good connection and the chance went begging in the injury time. 

The victory helped Barcelona to take their tally to 21 points from seven league games, four clear of second-placed Real Madrid, who got the better of Alaves in a five-goal thriller at Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night (local time). Barcelona's next fixture is away to seventh-placed Osasuna on Saturday, before hosting Young Boys in the Champions League next week. 

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• football
• Robert Lewandowski
• Barcelona vs Getafe
• La Liga 2024-25
• Raphinha