Liga - Madrid grind out win at Getafe
Sergio Ramos’ headed goal secured Real Madrid a 1-0 win in a scrappy Liga encounter against Getafe at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
The game took place in fierce wind, and despite the high quality of the Real line-up, free-flowing football was rare.
Ramos’s 18th-minute goal separated the sides, and though Getafe were only ever a moment of inspiration away from victory, they scarcely threatened.
That said, they were unlucky that a Pepe handball from Diego Castro’s long-range shot was not spotted late on to give them a chance of equalising from the penalty spot.
Real went into the game knowing that victory would give them, at least briefly, a 10-point lead over Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
But Getafe, who themselves had beaten Barcelona earlier in the season, threatened to strike first when Abdelaziz Barrada volleyed over from six yards after having been played in by Francisco Casquero and Valera’s link-up play.
The visitors soon settled into their rhythm in the strong windy conditions, however, and were unlucky not to take the lead when Cristiano Ronaldo was clearly fouled in the box by Daniel Diaz a quarter of an hour in.
The referee did not spot the infringement, but it did not prevent Real Madrid from opening the scoring for long.
Mesut Ozil’s low corner to the near post was expertly nodded home by Ramos, who marked his comeback from suspension with a goal.
Getafe from that point onwards looked limp, a clear second best to the visitors, but they did have another good chance from a set piece, when Juan Rodriguez laid the ball into the middle, with both Miku and Valera near to poking home from close range.
Real had chances of their own – Ronaldo testing Miguel Moya with a free-kick and Fabio Coentrao spurning the opportunity to shoot when clean through on goal – but could not add to their tally.
The Coliseum Alfonso Perez was far from full capacity, and in the cold wintry evening the match had a strange, muted atmosphere.
For a quarter of an hour after the resumption the match meandered along with Real in control.
Ronaldo stepped things up with a trademark swerving shot from distance, drawing an unconvincing stop from Moya.
A couple of minutes later, Ozil almost threaded the perfect ball through to Karim Benzema, only for Moya to smother.
Getafe might have had a penalty if the referee had spotted Pepe blocking Castro’s shot from range with his hands, but had the hosts scored, it would have been more than they deserved.
They were indebted to Moya that they only conceded the one goal, with the keeper pulling off a first-class save to deny substitute Gonzalo Higuain 10 minutes from time.
It was a professional job from Jose Mourinho’s men in trying conditions as their assault on the Liga title continues.
Comment 3 - 22 of 22
Hate them or like them, and though they may not be as pretty as Barcelona, their system seems to be propelling them towards a La-Liga title. Yes, Barcelona has my vote as the best club side in the world and even Manchester United and Arsenal play better football than Real Madrid. But one thing we can all agree on is that their system seems to be getting results as ugly as it may look. And at the end of the season no one remembers attractive football unless it puts trophy in the cupboard.
Unless Real Madrid contrive to throw it away, they would win La liga title this year. Should this happen, there will no longer be an argument as to who is the best manager in the world of club football. Mourhino will be crowned as the best of the modern era. Though Sir Alex at United could also lay a claim or two to this. But to win titles with 4 different clubs and in 4 different countries in my opinion gives Mourhino an edge over Sir Alex and certainly over Guardiola of Barcelona. The Special one is indeed "Special" no kidding.
I remember seeing jose antonio reyes score 2 goals and diara that corner kick header and we won the leage with barca second place...4 years later...Took long enough.
Wa.ker Boobinho, disgusting RM
4 teams? in epl? better than Real?.....come on no ways.......to tell you the thruth right now......real can beat the whole epl.....starting with man u/man city till to wigan.......epl can choose their best 11......with no doubt Real will give them a 7-0.......so please!...epl fans stop making fools of yourself here.....we all know who is the best......barca is the best......but we are taking over though barca did beat us..... even barca knows Real is taking over......seven points ahead......real for life
I hate Real Madrid, esp Pepe and Mourinho's attitudes towards the game sometimes BUT I find it laughable when someone claims EPL teams are better!! Which teams to be specific? Currently Madrid is second only to Barca, no other team in Europe comes close and that includes your Bayerns and Milans!
Peter you are absolutely out of your mind to think there is an EPL team better than Real Madrid at the moment! Do you not watch them week in week out? Oh, you're one of those opinionated EPL football fans that's quick to criticize los blancos without even watching them play (except for el clasico as usual) or viewing their staggering statistics!!! They are easily the second best team on this planet. Please state why/how that can't be the case...
Suddern Barcelona may be better than any epl team but real have yet to prove themselves, in the last decade they don't come close to what you say. There are 4 teams in the epl potentially better than real right now.
@Red and Tom- You idiot. I hate to pay Barca a compliment but Barca and Real are better than any EPL team. Domestic leagues reward those who can play the best for 38 games. Barca and Real dont play for 6 points or 12 points each time they play. Each game is 3 points, and that's the beauty of the domestic league.
Pepe still in the team of Real? Guess no other team would buy him. Maybe give to other team for free?
I think its sad that Real Madrid will win the league, because Barcelona are better than them. Even if Barca are not as consistent, they beat Madrid. When a league comes to who loses the least, something needs to be sorted out.
Lol @ Barca Dream Team Nr 2. Barcelona fans claiming other teams get helped by refs. How ironic...
La Liga is a double round robin format. Everyone plays against every other team and you get points from all 38 matches. I know some people think it should be awarded between Real Madrid and Barcelona on the basis of a home-and-away fixture but then it would not be called La Liga anymore right?
perez is doing a great job in the royal spanish football federation, he is choosing the refs that favor madrid in madrid matches and refs that hate Barca in Barca matches.
ref to the rescue for madrid once again. I a clear handball by ugly pepe and no penalty for getafe, just like the ref saved madrid from valencia with the higuain handball.
#6 if you watched closely you would have seen RM were denied 2 clear penalties but you do not here us complaining.Stop this barcalosers crybaby business PLIZ!!!
Another penalty not given against madrid, ofcourse, theyr madrid, new fifa rules:
No penalty's for real madrid.
Gonna be a tough game.
Hmm, nice comment 2: Simply put, its an admission that real has failed to beat their biggest rivals, but however there is a way round the defeats to land the trophy! Good point but how sweet is such a title??
i like the below comments :P
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