Contrary to the free-flowing Barcelona that we have gotten used to seeing under Hansi Flick, the game against Getafe at Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium was a tight affair with the game ending 1-0 in favor of the Catalan club.
Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring for Barcelona within the first 20 minutes and that ended up being the only goal of the game. Despite chances to increase their lead, the team’s finishing let them down despite Hansi Flick’s men controlling the game for most parts.
This is not to say that Getafe did not have a chance to score but most of their attacking moves were thwarted by the Barcelona defence which was spared of their blushes when Borja Mayoral missed his kick in the dying minutes of the game.
Here are the player ratings for the Barcelona players from the 1-0 win over Getafe at home.
Player Ratings:
Inaki Pena: 7.5
Stepping into Marc-Andre Ter Stegen’s shoes, Inaki Pena did not have much to do in terms of shot-stopping. He made an early save but was largely untroubled since. However, his distribution was flawless on the night and he showed proper judgment when fulfilling sweeper-keeper duties.
Jules Kounde: 9.0
Is he the best right-back in the world at the moment? Kounde was easily the better of the full-backs against Getafe, despite Balde having a good performance on his own. The Frenchman was a constant outlet for Hansi Flick’s team with Inigo Martinez finding him with regularity. His combination play with Lamine Yamal was a joy to watch. It was his cross that resulted in Lewandowski’s goal, although he would not be credited with the assist.
Pau Cubarsi: 6.5
Surprisingly quiet game for Pau Cubarsi who left the line-breaking responsibilities to Inigo Martinez. The 17-year-old was unbelievably calm under pressure, as he always is but had a couple of defensive lapses in the second half. Taken off in the 88th minute.
Inigo Martinez: 8.5
Except for one moment when he slipped in the second half, Inigo was flawless against Getafe. He completed 94% of his 108 attempted passes, including 11(!) long balls. He marshaled the defense very well and his cross-field passes to Jules Kounde often helped Barcelona kickstart attacks.
Alejandro Balde: 7.0
Balde had a good game on the left flank but was overshadowed by his right-back counterpart on the night. Often left to deal with his side all by himself with Raphinha drifting into midfield, he beat his man on regular occasions and completed four dribbles. However, his decision-making when it comes to the final pass surely has scope for improvement.
Eric Garcia: 8.0
Much improved display from Eric who was tasked with operating as the single pivot on the night. Looked dominant in the air, and in midfield, and was composed under pressure. Looked much better on the half-turn and almost always made the right decision on the ball. 0.5 points docked off for blazing the ball over the crossbar from close range – a chance he would have finished 11/10 times.
Marc Casado: 8.5
Casado has been the real surprise package this season under Hansi Flick and he has made the transition to the first-team look seamless. Against Getafe, he took over Pedri’s role and ran the show from midfield, including a Frenkie De Jong-esque run through the middle of the park where the ball looked stuck to his feet. Excellent display from the youngster who also appears to be a natural leader on the field.
Lamine Yamal: 9.0
First-game of the season when Lamine did not chip in with a goal contribution for Barcelona but that isn’t to suggest that the 17-year-old had a poor game. Flick tasked him with operating more centrally against Getafe and leave the wing to Kounde and Lamine had a quiet first half adjusting to it.
He came into his element in the second half though, constantly peppering the goal, and was perhaps unlucky not to end this game with another goal contribution against his name. Solid display.
Pablo Torre: 6.0
Quiet game for the Cantabrian who could not follow up on his performance against Villarreal last weekend. Getafe’s physicality saw Torre often lose out on the midfield battle and was often seen dropping deep to lose his marker. He was also guilty of giving the ball away a few times and was understandably hooked for Ferran Torres.
Raphinha: 7.5
Captain Raphinha had a performance that has become typical of him in recent weeks. Constantly pressing with infinite energy, the Brazilian looked tireless. He was often seen drifting into midfield from the left flank but both his passing and shooting left a lot to be desired on the night. 200 marks for passion though!
Robert Lewandowski: 9.0
Emerged as the match-winner on the night with a goal that perfectly displayed his poacher instincts. Had one more ball into the back of the net that was chalked off for offside. However, it was his hold-up play that was eye-catching on the night and he channeled his inner Busquets with some high-IQ touches and flicks to escape pressure and turn his man. The Pole was in his element.
Substitutes:
Ferran Torres: 6
Unremarkable performance from Ferran, who was brought on as the left winger and completed the game as a striker. His first touch often let him down. As always, can never be faulted for his pressing and defensive work rate.
Pedri: 7.0
Brought on as the attacking midfield in place of Pablo Torre but dropped deep and did what he does best – control the tempo of the game. Getafe were pushing for the equalizer but Pedri helped slow the game down and see out the 1-0 win.
Gerard Martin: N/A
Brought on in place of Balde for fresh legs and looked shaky in defense. Not enough time or influence on the game to warrant a rating.
Hector Fort: N/A
Replaced Pau Cubarsi and saw out the game.
