Barcelona: Player-by-player verdicts as Getafe beaten
Marc-André ter Stegen, Arthur and Carles Pérez shone for Barcelona as the champions ended their winless away run with victory at Getafe.
Marc-André ter Stegen:
Not content with being a brick wall in front of the Barcelona goal, Ter Stegen now wants to get in on the act in attack too, it seems: just ask Luis Suárez, who opened the scoring after collecting a terrific long pass from the German and finishing past David Soria. In LaLiga, today's win was Ter Stegen's first clean sheet of the season.
Sergi Roberto:
The youth product needs to realise that sometimes you need to take a step backwards to take two forwards. His characteristics are far less suited to playing in midfield. At full-back, meanwhile, his qualities come to the fore: brimming with energy and determination, he got up and down the right flank tirelessly and fought tooth and nail to stop his opposite number. This is the way forward for him.
Gerard Piqué:
One yellow card away from a suspension, Piqué got through another game without getting that ban-incurring booking. That's no bad thing: the sending-off of his defensive partner, Clément Lenglet, has left Barça with just two centre-backs available for next weekend's clash with Sevilla. A rock at the heart of the backline, he was the team's undisputed leader out on the pitch, even if it was Sergio Busquets who was wearing the captain's armband.
Clément Lenglet:
Sent off with eight minutes to go, Lenglet's dismissal was less of a problem today as it will be when Barça face his former employers next Sunday. While he was on the field, he made his dominant defensive presence felt throughout much of the game.
Júnior Firpo:
It was a mixed bag from Júnior, who grew into the game at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez. He was initially uncertain and error-prone, misplacing passes and failing to make the most of his physical strength. After capitalising on Soria's poor parry to score Barça's second, however, he gained in confidence and gave a thoroughly decent account of himself.
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Sergio Busquets:
Busquets wasn't quite able to exert his usual influence over the play, but stuck to his task in committed fashion despite being on the end of some robust Getafe challenges. With the midfielder on a booking, and with one eye on the midweek Champions League match against Inter, Valverde brought him off after 80 minutes.
Frenkie de Jong:
Operating initially on the right of the three-man midfield before switching to anchorman when Busquets went off, De Jong gave an inconsistent display. Given the quality that he has on the ball, the Dutchman needs to ask for it more, and demand that his colleagues see him as a midfield reference point.
Arthur Melo:
Superb in every department; for the in-form Brazilian, this was a display bordering on perfection. His ability to control possession and carry the ball drove Getafe to distraction. He came close to capping his performance with Barça's third goal, but was unable to take advantage of Soria's poor clearance and sent his shot just wide. If he plays like this, he can enjoy as many midweek nights on the town with Neymar as he likes.
Carles Pérez:
Excellent game. Signing a new deal this week clearly spurred Pérez on. The youth product was a consistent source of purposeful attacking play, with Barça's second goal coming about as a result of his powerful shot. Before then, he had come close to opening the scoring with a fine piece of individual play. He linked up to good effect with Luis Suárez, most notably when he got himself in crossing positions on the right. Pérez's only problem is that Ansu Fati is a young star that eclipses all the others.
Luis Suárez:
Suárez made the most of Ter Stegen's terrific long pass to score with a superbly taken lob. He fought hard for every ball, but at times still betrayed a certain sluggishness that prevents him from being his usual, lethal self in front of goal.
Antoine Griezmann:
Griezmann's performances at the Camp Nou have been excellent. However, in terms of attacking presence and use of the ball, his displays on the road have come up short. It's not what you'd expect of a player of the Frenchman's undoubted class.
Substitutes:
Nélson Semedo:
Semedo was brought on in the second half, taking up his customary right-back position while Roberto in front of him. The aim was to keep Getafe on a tighter leash on the right flank, and it was a move that worked. More than once, he also showed his ability to penetrate going forward.
Ivan Rakitic:
A forlorn figure at Barcelona this season, he was brought on late on for Busquets, operating in his usual role on one side of the midfield three.
Jean-Clair Todibo:
From what we saw in his brief appearance at the Coliseum - he came on for the final eight minutes plus stoppage time - Todibo is going to have to up his game a bit when Barcelona welcome Sevilla to the Camp Nou. With Samuel Umtiti injured and Lenglet suspended, he will be Piqué's defensive partner.