Getafe 0-0 Barcelona: Player ratings as Barça's winless run continues
By Sean Walsh
Barcelona were held to a second successive 0-0 draw in La Liga for the first time since 2005 after being frustrated by Getafe on Sunday.
A first title since 2019 is still firmly in La Blaugrana's sights as they sit 11 points clear of Real Madrid with nine games left to play, but Xavi will have been left frustrated by a Getafe side who sought to disrupt them from the off, growing the grass on the pitch at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez to the maximum length allowed and making their intentions known from the off.
The first major chance of the game went the hosts' way after five minutes, with Borja Mayoral digging out a cross from the byline for La Masia graduate Munir, whose header bounced narrowly wide of the post.
Barcelona's first opportunity saw Alejandro Balde's cross take a deflection off of Jordi Alba into the path of Robert Lewandowski, who was unable to sort his feet out from six yards out and Getafe managed to clear.
Former Manchester City striker Enes Unal managed to wrestle himself free from Jules Kounde on a corner but was unable to keep his free header down as Barça were let off the hook.
Within the next 20 seconds, Barcelona should have taken the lead. Raphinha managed to race clear of the Getafe backline from a long goal kick by Marc-Andre ter Stegen, seeing his effort cannon back off the post. Balde came crashing in to meet the rebound, but his shot struck the very same point of the woodwork.
In first-half stoppage time, Lewandowski rose highest to meet a deep cross from Sergio Busquets, but David Soria was able to scamper across his line and hold his header.
After the break, Lewandowski got his head on another ball into the box, this time heading wide from Alba's delivery from midway inside the Getafe half.
The hosts were managing to keep Barça restricted to half-chances, with Raphinha's 25-yard strike case-in-point, with the Brazilian denied by a stretching Soria save.
With time running out, Getafe looked to hit Barcelona on the break. Ronald Araujo failed to deal with a low cross, in part due to the lengthy grass, and Mayoral lashed a shot towards goal, only to see his fierce strike sail just past the post.
Barça are without a win in their last three games, and their next match sees them take on Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou next Sunday.
Getafe player ratings
GK: David Soria (8); RB: Damian Suarez (7), CB: Djene (6), CB: Domingos Duarte (7), CB: Omar Alderete (7), LB: Juan Iglesias (7); RM: Borja Bayoral (6), CM: Luis Milla (8), CM: Nemanja Maksimovic (7), LM: Munir (7);, CF: Enes Unal (6).
SUBS: Cristian Portu (6), Carles Alena (N/A), Angel Algobia (N/A), Gonzalo Villar (N/A), Gaston Alvarez (N/A).
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Barcelona player ratings
GK: Marc-Andre ter Stegen - 6/10 - Well, at least he kept a 22nd La Liga clean sheet of the season.
RB: Sergi Roberto - N/A - Substituted after 18 minutes with a hamstring injury.
CB: Jules Kounde - 6/10 - Shifted to right-back midway through the first half when it was clear substitute Garcia was struggling there. Was decent enough.
CB: Ronald Araujo - 6/10 - Stayed alert and snuffed out danger in a game where Getafe sought to hassle Barcelona at any given moment.
LB: Jordi Alba - 6/10 - Bombed forward to support Balde, but Barcelona really missed a natural left-sided forward today.
DM: Sergio Busquets - 6/10 - Still looked his silky best in the midfield battle.
CM: Franck Kessie - 6/10 - One of Barcelona's better starters, arriving late in the box while also breaking up play.
CM: Gavi - 5/10 - Booked after just 90 seconds and was never quite able to pick the lock.
RW: Raphinha - 5/10 - Spurned a huge chance in the first half which ended up costing Barcelona.
CF: Robert Lewandowski - 5/10 - A useful target man at times, but was ultimately gobbled up by Getafe's three centre-backs.
LW: Alejandro Balde - 5/10 - Obviously full of talent, but equally obviously a left-back and not a winger.
Substitutes
Eric Garcia (18' for Roberto) - 6/10 - Uncomfortable at right-back but was a bit more assured in the middle.
Ferran Torres (68' for Alba) - 5/10
Ansu Fati (68' for Kessie) - 5/10
Pablo Torre (88' for Raphinha) - N/A
Manager
Xavi - 4/10 - Barcelona seemed content to play for a bore draw as much as Getafe were. What a waste of an afternoon.