Frustrated Barcelona fails to gain ground on Atletico loss

MADRID — Barcelona could only muster a 1-1 draw at Getafe on Saturday in La Liga as it was unable to recover ground on the top two in the Spanish title race.

Jules Kounde sent the visiting side ahead early on, but Mauro Arambarri leveled for Getafe in the first half and Barcelona could not break down Jose Bordalas' well-drilled side.

The draw leaves the third-place Catalans five points behind leader Atletico Madrid, who lost 1-0 at Leganes earlier in the day, but Hansi Flick's side could not take advantage.

After a slump in the final weeks of 2024, Barcelona won the Spanish Super Cup last week and then thumped Real Betis in the Copa del Rey, indicating it was back to its best.

However, it dropped two points on the road in its first league match of 2025 as Getafe, 16th, scrapped its way to a hard-fought point.

"It's not done yet, we still have some matches to play, and as I said before, we will fight until the end," Flick told reporters.

"Today it's one point more, not two points less. We missed (out on) two points, but we have to look forward and make it better next time."

Flick selected what has proven his strongest side in recent weeks to try and get a result at Getafe, against whom the Catalans failed to score in their previous four away visits.

The Blaugrana did not have to wait long to end that run, with Kounde finding the net in the ninth minute.

The French defender, who also scored in the Copa del Rey win against Real Betis last week, was cleverly fed by Pedri.

Although David Soria saved Kounde's first effort, he was able to turn the rebound home.

However, after that Barcelona came up against the same old struggles it has often faced at the Coliseum.

Getafe dug deep and did not allow striker Robert Lewandowski, La Liga's top scorer, room to breathe.

The host pulled level after 34 minutes when Coba da Costa's effort was parried by Barcelona goalkeeper Inaki Pena, but Arambarri pounced to nudge home.

"It was a shame, the match, we had control of the game and with one chance they scored one goal against us, it's a shame," Kounde told Movistar.

After the game Barcelona defender Alejandro Balde reported racist abuse aimed at him in the first half from some home supporters.

Griezmann blows penalty

Antoine Griezmann missed a late penalty as leader Atletico Madrid stumbled to a shock defeat at Leganes, ending a club-record run of 15 consecutive victories.

Matija Nastasic nodded Leganes ahead early in the second half, with Griezmann dragging a poor penalty wide in the final stages to resign Atletico to a second defeat of the league season.

"I thought we were low on energy, it wasn't enough from us," Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak told DAZN.

"We'll keep our head up after (winning) 15 games, we lost this one and we have to keep going forward...unfortunately the streak is over."

Madrid minnow Leganes, 15th, battled well in defense to keep Atletico at bay in the first half, with Julian Alvarez and Griezmann hitting the woodwork.

Early in the second half, Serbian defender Nastasic headed Leganes in front from a corner, and it protected its advantage without much stress until controversially conceding a penalty for a debatable handball by Sergio Gonzalez.

Griezmann took responsibility from the penalty spot but rolled his 90th-minute effort wide of the goal.

Atletico must now bounce back in the Champions League, where it is aiming to reach the knock-out rounds, against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday.

"They were 15 extraordinary games, I feel enormously proud at having set the (consecutive) winning record in Atletico's history," Atletico coach Diego Simeone told DAZN.

"We have to accept that defeat is part of the game and prepare ourselves for Tuesday."

AFP