Getafe 1-0 Barcelona: Mata scores from spot as Barça beaten

Peeep peeep peeep!

Getafe have beaten Barcelona for the first time since 2011, and are well worth the win.

With leaders Real Madrid suffering a shock home defeat to Cádiz earlier this evening, three points for Barça would have seen Ronald Koeman's men leapfrog their arch rivals on goal difference, a week ahead of the first Clásico of the season.

However, they were made to rue Antoine Griezmann’s glaring first-half miss as Jaime Mata’s 56th-minute penalty gave the hosts a long-awaited victory over the Catalans.

Instead of Barça, therefore, it is Getafe who draw level on points with Madrid at the top of the table - and, in truth, they might have ended up winning by a greater margin.

Cucho Hernández twice had major opportunities to double Los Azulones' lead late on, but sent one against the crossbar - via a crucial touch by Neto - before firing over when clean through on the Barça goalkeeper.

By contrast, Barça struggled to create clear-cut chances and - a Djené near-own goal aside - rarely seriously threatened to recover from Mata's opener. 

That's all from me - thanks for reading!

Off the post! Again Djené almost puts through his own net as he tries to clear Dest's cross from the right.

Mollejo then buys a free-kick off Dest, who is booked. Timor thumps the dead ball just wide, and that should be that...

Maksimovic is off for Atlético Madrid youth product Iván Mollejo, who joined Getafe on loan this summer.

Barcelona lump a ball into the box that's right down the middle and, as they say, is meat and drink for the goalkeeper. Getafe will gobble up balls like that all day long.

Ufff. Braithwaite gets to the byline and pulls it back into the six-yard box, where Djené isn't all that far away from turning it into his own net. 

That Piqué header aside, I'm struggling to remember any moments when Barça have got closer in this second half.

Cucho should seal the points! With Barça committed forward, Getafe get the Colombian haring clear of the visiting backline and in on Neto... but he blasts over, in not dissimilar fashion to Griezmann earlier on!

Six minutes of time added on at the Coliseum.

Messi swings a free-kick into the box, but Getafe clear with a minimum of fuss. Barcelona really have threatened awfully little in this second half.

A fifth and final change for Barcelona, midfielder Riqui Puig coming on for right-back Sergi Roberto. The visitors are going three at the back and all-out attack.

Getafe hit the bar! The hosts get Cucho Hernández running in behind Lenglet, who does well to narrow the angle for the striker. 

He gets his shot away nonetheless, but Neto just gets his fingertips to it and it bounces off the woodwork! So close to 2-0!

On come Martin Braithwaite and Trincao, for De Jong and a glum-looking Griezmann. His first-half miss is looking like being a costly one.

Openings at both ends. First, Cucurella drives right down the middle of the Barcelona defence and thrashes a powerful effort straight at Neto.

De Jong then releases Ansu Fati in behind the Getafe defence, but the youngster is twice denied fantastically by Soria. Ah, and he was offside, anyway.

Ansu Fati is again appealing for a penalty after a challenge in the box by Arambarri... but the referee says no. Replays show that there was nothing in it.

Trincao is preparing to come on for Barcelona.

15 minutes to go, and Barcelona are hardly kicking the Getafe door down.

Nyom gets the booking he should already have had, for an infringement which I must confess I missed.

Griezmann has to look alive to cut out Olivera's cut-back from Suárez's long ball forwards - and a good job he did. Olivera was in a dangerous position on the left of the box.

Mata is off, to be replaced by Enes Ünal.

Mata is down in a heap after a challenge by De Jong, but isn't getting a whole load of sympathy from the visitors, who are quick to make pointing-to-their-watches gestures to the referee. 

Barça get Ansu Fati back on the ball, and the 17-year-old cuts inside from the left, gets his head up and looks to curl on in at Soria's far post - but doesn't quite get enough whip on his effort, which flies wide.

Ansu Fati takes on Nyom and flops to the turf in search of a penalty, which he doesn't get. Nyom is less than impressed with the youngster's antics, it's fair to say.

Barcelona win a free-kick on the left, which Messi whips in, right onto Piqué's head on the penalty spot. However, the defender can't direct his attempt goalwards, and lets out an almighty scream of annoyance as a result.

No. It's Dembélé and Pedri who are brought off. Griezmann stays up top.

Coutinho and Ansu Fati are preparing to come on for Barcelona. Dembélé and Griezmann to make way?

Penalty to Getafe!

Suárez thumps a free-kick into the Barcelona box from a deep position on the right, and Nyom eventually forces Dest to give away a corner kick.

It's cleared initially, before Arambarri slips Cucurella into a dangerous crossing position on the right. His low ball is also hooked clear, and when Arambarri turns it back into area, De Jong is deemed to have fouled Djené and a spot-kick is given!

It's been a fairly low-key start to the second half. Busquets looks to dink one into Messi's run into the box, but his pass is overhit and drifts into Soria's hands.

Ángel is warming up for Getafe.

No half-time changes for either side, by the way. Ansu Fati, Philippe Coutinho and Junior Firpo are all warming up for Barcelona, though.

Peeeeep! We're back underway at the Coliseum!

Griezmann off target

Having moaned this week that he's playing better for France because he doesn't have to play out wide for Les Bleus, Antoine Griezmann has got his wish for a more central Barcelona role tonight - but didn't have his shooting boots on when presented with the first half's best scoring chance.

According to Carrusel Deportivo, indeed, Griezmann has been off target with 26 of his 28 shots so far this season.

"How easy Pedri makes it look"

"How easy Pedri makes it look when he plays football," tweets AS journalist Juan Jiménez. "And the easier you make it look, the better you are."

The 17-year-old has impressed so far tonight.

Peeeep peeep peeep! Half time at the Coliseum.

It's been a pretty even first half, albeit Barcelona have created the best chances - firstly when Messi pinged one against the post, and secondly when Griezmann fired over when put through by Pedri's lovely pass.

See you in 15!

Getafe win another free-kick for Cucurella to whip in from the right, but his ball flies across Neto's goal and out. And that should be that.

Messi clips a strangely soft effort straight into Soria's hands. As an Englishman, all I can say is I wish his coach's attempt to flick one in Rotterdam 27 years ago had been as innocuous as that.

Messi jinks his way across the front of the box before being sliced down by Nyom... who somehow doesn't get a booking for his misdeeds. The referee's criteria for giving out yellow cards has been more than a little iffy tonight.

Free-kick for Barcelona, in prime shooting territory for Messi.

Incidentally, Getafe's Damián Suárez is already one booking away from a suspension, having picked up four yellow cards in Los Azulones' first four league games of the season. 

No mean feat, that - albeit not too surprising for a man of Suárez's no-shrinking-violet fame, perhaps.

Another opportunity for Messi to send a Barcelona free-kick into the box.

The Argentine clips the ball towards Lenglet's run to the back post, but the defender was offside.

Griezmann should score! Pedri slips the Frenchman in behind the Getafe defence with a lovely ball that leaves him one-on-one with Soria... but he blasts it over from 10 yards! Best chance of the match so far.

Now that was a yellow card offence. Cabaco absolutely slams into Pedri, and deservedly goes into the book.

Messi clips the free-kick into the area, but as the ball drifts towards Soria's right-hand post, Lenglet can't get the touch required to turn it into the net.

The Frenchman yelps in frustration.

Now Mata goes into the book, apparently for backing into Lenglet with his elbows raised. Once again, looked a little harsh.

Barcelona have come the closest to scoring, but Getafe are giving them plenty to think about in defence. Nyom's throw-in reaches Mata at the near post, but his hooked attempt to find a blue shirt in shooting space in the box only succeeds in locating a pink shirt.

At the second time of asking, Barcelona clear. 

Piqué is the first man to go into referee César Soto Grande's notebook, after clashing with Cucho Hernández in an aerial challenge. Looked a bit harsh on the defender, to be honest.

Getafe now have an opportunity to swing in a ball from the left. Cucurella over it.

Back come Getafe, but Cucurella sclaffs an absolute trundler towards Neto's goal when well placed. He'll need to do better than that.

Messi hits the post! Having just seen Getafe test Neto, Barça hit back by working it to Messi, who fires Griezmann's lay-off against the woodwork with goalkeeper David Soria looking well beaten!

Maksimovic with the shot! Getafe have had the better of the last 10 minutes or so, and carve out their first shooting chance - but it's straight at Neto, who holds on pretty comfortably.

Suárez pings over a cross from the right, which Piqué heads clear - but only as far as Arambarri. However, the Urguayan's cross from the left is overhit, and sails behind for a goal-kick.

"Barcelona aren't looking comfortable right now," says Spanish TV analyst Julio 'Maldini' Maldonado.

Getafe get themselves another chance to whip a dead ball into the box from the right, but Olivera can't get his head onto it at the back stick, and Barça clear once more.

It's been a decent couple of minutes for the hosts, though.

Getafe win a free-kick on the right, which Suárez tees up Cucurella to deliver towards the back post. It's a lovely ball from the former Barcelona man, but with Allan Nyom preparing to pull the trigger, Piqué is there just in time to nick the ball away from the Frenchman.

Dembélé has a chance to lead a Barça break at speed when a Getafe attack is cleared, and after initially losing the ball, it somehow arrives back at his feet, allowing him to continue his forward foray.

The winger feeds it to Messi, whose return ball towards the top of the box is uncharacteristically innocuous, and the hosts get it away.

First threatening moment from Getafe. Cucho Hernández wins the ball back well and looks to get Jaime Mata in behind the Barça defence with a cute slide-rule pass, but Clément Lenglet is alive to the danger and intercepts.

Lenglet is back in the Barça side tonight following his return from suspension, by the way. The Frenchman missed the 1-1 draw with Sevilla after being dismissed in the win at Celta Vigo at the start of October.

Lionel Messi does magnificently to cut out and control a slightly wayward Marc Cucurella pass, before setting off at pace towards the Getafe goal.

He slips a ball into the run of Pedri, but the teenager can't bring the ball under his spell on the edge of the box.

Underway at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez! Getafe in their traditional blue; Barcelona in their, er, pink and green third kit.

From Getafe CF to Fe CF

Getafe have taken the unusual step of rechristening themselves "Fe CF" ("Faith FC") for today's clash against Barcelona, even going so far as to change the name on the crest on their shirts, and on the stadium scoreboard. 

According to a statement by Los Azulones, the initiative is an attempt to "raise the spirits of the fans amid the extraordinary difficulties that 2020 has created for the club and for society in general". 

"Faith is the one thing that people mustn't lose," said the club's general manager, Clemente Villaverde.

What the coaches said: Ronald Koeman, Barcelona

On Getafe's recent success:

"What Getafe have achieved in recent years has been outstanding. They're a side that get results, and enormous credit is due to their players and their coach. Against Ajax [in last season's Europa League], they got criticism [in the Netherlands] for their style of play, but I can assure you that didn't come from me. There are many ways to win a game of football [...]. We'll have to be on our game; it's going to be tough."

On Antoine Griezmann's remarks that France boss Didier Deschamps "knows where to pick me":

"I look for what's best for the team, and I think it is good for him to operate from a starting position on the right. He can also play as a number 10 or a number nine, but I make the decisions and it's down to him to perform to his best."

What the coaches said: José Bordalás, Getafe

On Barcelona under Ronald Koeman:

"Whenever a new coach comes in there are changes made. Koeman is using a 4-2-3-1 formation and there are other aspects that have changed. They've still got top individual talent and are now a more direct, more dynamic side who are as dangerous as ever."

On Getafe's poor results against Barcelona and the other big boys:

"I don't think about the past, but the here and now, and on Saturday we have a chance to beat Barcelona. We've always put in good performances against them and they've ended up beating us. They have the kind of resources that we can't aspire to, though."

(Photo: EFE)

Dembélé makes first Barcelona start in nearly a year

Ousmane Dembélé's inclusion in tonight's line-up is the first time he has started for Barcelona since November 2019 - 325 days ago, notes ESPN journalist Sam Marsden.

Barça were rather keen for the Frenchman to leave this summer to help finance a move for Lyon's Memphis Depay, and were more than a little ticked off with him when he turned his nose up at a possible switch to Manchester United.

Barcelona unbeaten in 17 against Getafe

Barcelona may be facing a very difficult task tonight, but they do in fact have an exceedingly good recent record against Getafe. So much so that they have not lost to Los Azulones in nearly a decade.

The Catalans haven’t lost to their hosts since November 2011, when Juan Valera’s second-half strike gave Getafe a 1-0 league victory over Pep Guardiola’s Barça team.

Since then, the Blaugrana have put together a sequence of 17 games without defeat against ‘Geta’. 

Real Madrid beaten by Cádiz - reaction

You can join Rob for the reaction to Real Madrid's surprise 1-0 defeat to Cádizright here.

How things stand in LaLiga

Having started their league campaign two weeks late, Barcelona have played fewer games than those around them - but they can nonetheless go level on points with the leaders with a win tonight.

That’s because Real Madrid have just fallen to a shock home defeat to newly-promoted Cádiz, courtesy of Choco Lozano's first-half strike at the Estadio Alfredo di Stéfano.

Like Barça, Getafe also go into tonight’s clash on seven points, so they too have the opportunity to draw level at the top.

Four changes for Barcelona

Ronald Koeman makes no fewer than four changes to the side that drew with Sevilla before the international break. In defence, Clément Lenglet and Sergiño Dest come in for Ronald Araújo and the injured Jordi Alba, while in attack Pedri and Ousmane Dembélé are in for Ansu Fati and Philippe Coutinho.

Dest, a summer signing from Ajax, makes his first start for Barça. He’s normally a right-back, but looks like he’ll be playing on the left tonight, with Sergi Roberto on the opposite flank. It's also a full debut for 17-year-old Pedri, who joined this close-season from Las Palmas.

Mata and Cabaco in for in Getafe

José Bordalás makes two changes to the Getafe team that lost to Real Sociedad last time out, as striker Ángel Rodríguez makes way for Jaime Mata, and Erick Cabaco comes in for Xabi Etxeita at the heart of the defence.

Before finally plumping for Leganés’ Martin Braithwaite, Ángel was among the players Barça looked at when they were given clearance by LaLiga to make an emergency signing in February.

Getafe team news

Starting line-up: Soria, Suárez, Djené, Cabaco, Olivera, Nyom, Arambarri, Maksimovic, Cucurella, Cucho, Mata

Substitutes: Yáñez, Etxeita, Chema, Portillo, Ángel, Ünal, Palaversa, Timor, Mollejo

Barcelona team news

Starting line-up: Neto, Roberto, Piqué, Lenglet, Dest, Busquets, De Jong, Pedri, Griezmann, Dembélé, Messi

Substitutes: Braithwaite, Fati, Trincao, Firpo, Puig, Aleñà, Mingueza, Tenas, Peña, Coutinho, Araújo, Pjanic

Getafe vs Barcelona: ¡hola a todos!

Good evening!

Welcome to our live coverage of what is an extremely tough away assignment for Barcelona, as Ronald Koeman’s men get back to LaLiga action with a trip to the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez, where they’ll face José Bordalás’ battling, streetwise - and very good - Getafe side.

Kick-off is at 21:00 CEST, about an hour away. Team news is in, so let’s start with that.