NEW DELHI: Xavi's revitalized Barcelona displayed a dominant performance, securing a resounding 4-0 victory over
Getafe
on Saturday, propelling them to the second spot in
La Liga
. The recalled duo of
Joao Felix
and
Raphinha
made significant contributions, with Barcelona now holding 57 points from 26 games.
Defending champions Barcelona leapfrogged Girona to claim the second position, trailing leaders Real Madrid, who sit at the summit with 62 points.
Real Madrid
is set to extend their unbeaten La Liga run to 20 matches as they face Sevilla in a game in hand on Sunday.
In an impressive display, Brazilian forward Raphinha initiated the scoring in the 20th minute. His well-timed run and precise shot found the bottom corner, breaking the deadlock. Joao Felix, who missed the midweek
Champions League
draw against Napoli, doubled the lead with a far-post tap-in after 53 minutes, shortly after Getafe hit the post.
Robert Lewandowski appeared to make it 3-0 just before the hour mark, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Despite the denial, the Polish striker showcased his scoring prowess with nine goals in his last 13 appearances.
Dutch midfielder
Frenkie De Jong
extended Barcelona's lead, unleashing a powerful shot from outside the box just after the hour mark. The comprehensive victory was sealed in added time when Fermin Lopez tapped home a rebound.
Xavi, Barcelona's head coach, expressed satisfaction with the team's performance, stating, "We knew which spaces to attack and opened them up on several occasions, and that's where the goals came from. It's a victory that gives us a little more peace of mind."
The match was preceded by a minute's silence as a mark of respect for the tragic fire incident at a 14-storey apartment block in Valencia, which claimed the lives of 10 people. Additionally, the scheduled Liga game between Granada and Valencia was postponed due to the unfortunate event.
(Inputs from AFP)
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