Lewandowski's early strike enough as Barcelona beat Getafe in LaLiga
Table-topping Barcelona have swept aside all before them and came up against an Azulones side still waiting for their first win this season.
However, the Madrid outfit were keen to dismantle the pre-match narrative, as Iñaki Peña was forced into an early save to keep out a Carles Perez header from Álex Sola’s cross.
The lively Perez then drove into the box before his close-range strike was blocked by Alejandro Balde.
Despite the visitors’ positive start, it was Barca that struck first. Lamine Yamal played in Jules Kounde down the right flank, and David Soria could only parry the Frenchman’s cross into Robert Lewandowski, who applied a clinical first-time finish to score his seventh goal of the season.
Suddenly, spaces were starting to open up for Hansi Flick’s side, as Yamal brilliantly took Raphinha’s pass into his side, but prodded wide from close range.
Getafe’s fast start was becoming a distant memory, as Lewandowski was played through on goal by Raphinha, but Soria was able to deny the Pole after taking aim from a tight angle.
Barça continued to play with greater intensity after the break, with Soria producing a brilliant one-handed save to keep out Yamal’s long-range effort.
Soria was keeping Getafe in this contest and made another equally superb stop to parry away Raphina’s free-kick after only seeing the ball at the last moment.
Flick’s men were still struggling to add to their advantage, but Eric Garcia should have doubled the hosts’ lead when he blazed his shot over the bar from Raphina’s free-kick.
The Brazilian then came agonisingly close to scoring himself, only to see his diving header go wide from Kounde’s cross.
Ultimately, the Catalans did enough to secure all three points and re-establish a four-point lead at the top of the table. Meanwhile, Getafe’s wait for a first-ever away win at Barcelona continues after 22 attempts, as they succumbed to a third consecutive top-flight away defeat.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jules Kounde (Barcelona)