Víctor Valdés
24
2
Might as well have taken the night off, such was his lack of action throughout the match. A virtual spectator.
Carles Puyol
27
2
Probably the only player in the Barcelona XI today that could be termed an out an out defender, yet spent the majority of his game camped on the halfway line as Getafe rarely made it past that. Got forward at times, and a few rugged headers on either end from set pieces were the highlights of an untroubled showing at the back.
Adriano
19
1
Barca’s 3-4-3 formation meant that he often formed passing triangles to good effect with Iniesta and Pedro on the left channel. Provided decent support in the attacking third without ever appearing overly dynamic, but his tracking back not as diligent as it should have been, as his flank was the one most exploited by Getafe.
Xavi
37
0
Was at the heart of the moment of controversy in the match, as his impudent chip over Moya appeared to cross the goal line, despite Diaz’s clearance. However, the referee decided otherwise and waved play on. It did not faze him one bit though, as he settled into his passing carousel with Iniesta to keep Getafe perpetually on the back foot.
Andrés Iniesta Luján
39
0
Fired an early warning shot with a low drive that left Moya scrambling, and was always at the thick of things in the attacking third. Was completely in control of the midfield with his partner in crime Xavi, with his close control, movement and short passing a delight. His one-two with Messi for the Argentine’s first-half goal was a thing of beauty.
Javier Mascherano
25
4
Often the last man back for Barca, even though that responsibility rarely entailed him to enter his own penalty area. Flattened Castro to halt one Getafe counter attack, and was otherwise rarely taken outside his comfort zone.
Sergio Busquets Burgos
26
5
Did exceptionally well to snuff out the danger whenever Getafe gained possession in midfield. Tracked back expertly to deny Miku on a rare counterattack for the visitors. Rarely got forward, but that was never in his plans as he gave a disciplined and positionally sound display in the middle.
Alexis Sánchez
66
8
His pace was a thorn in Getafe’s side for the entirety of the contest, and one such display of his blistering speed allowed him to skip past Alexis and bury a great finish into the corner for the opener. Should have had a second not long after, but sliced his shot wide from a Cuenca cross. He did round of his brace in the second half though, with an authoritative header from another Cuenca delivery finding the back of the net.
Lionel Messi
79
11
Set up Sanchez for the opener with a clever chested knock down, and scored the second himself after starting and finishing a one-two with Iniesta with a thumping shot into the roof of the net. Was always able to beat his man and hold on to the ball under pressure, but only some last ditch defending from Getafe prevented him from adding to his tally. Rounded off another impressive game as his free-kick was headed home by Pedro for the final goal of the match.
Pedro
22
2
Thought for all the world that he had scored with a low finish that was beaten away by the outstretched hand of Moya. Had his chances to attack from out on the left but far too often, his final ball let him down. He managed to salvage his performance with a lovely looping header from a Messi free-kick later on in the second half.
Joan Isaac Cuenca Lopez
24
3
Was able to get on the ball and attack his marker Masilela out on the right, but with mixed results in the first half, as he was not always able to make it past the Getafe man. Still, he managed to get the better of Masilela more and more as the game wore on, and when he did, his deliveries were on point, with the cross that set up Sanchez’s second a prime example.
• Substitutions
Marc Muniesa
12
1
Given an uneventful six minute run out.
Martin Montoya Torralbo
15
1
A largely quiet appearance for the latter stages of the second half.
Tello
14
2
Showcased his pace and intelligent running on a few occasions after coming on.
Miguel Moyà
7
2
Could not be blamed for any of the Barcelona goals, and kept the score down with a series of fantastic saves on the likes of Iniesta, Pedro and Messi.
Cata Díaz
2
2
Did well to sprint back and hack clear a Xavi chip over Moya, even if replays suggested that it may have just sneaked over the line. A determined effort regardless, which typified the rest of his play throughout the match. Even though he was beaten on a handful of occasions, he more than made up for it with some last ditch defending, especially in the latter stages of the game, that halted Barca in their tracks.
Miguel Torres
2
2
A great last-ditch challenge on Sanchez was the highlight of a frantic game for him, as he was often left scrambling by the constant wave of Barca attacks. He did do his fair share of defensive work with a few vital interceptions, but he was never going to shut out the Blaugrana in this mood.
Alexis
0
3
Outsprinted by namesake Sanchez with ease for the Chilean’s opener, and struggled at times thereafter. Caught horribly out of position multiple times, especially in the second half, and even though he occasionally recovered to correct his mistake, it did not do enough to erase a nervy defensive performance.
Tsepo Masilela
0
3
Looked to be on his game in the first half as he was able to play Cuenca to a draw out wide, giving the Barca youngster a tough time with his diligent marking. However, his legs failed him after the break as Cuenca found more and more opportunities to get in behind him and deliver from out wide, with one such lapse leading to the cross for Sanchez’s second.
Pedro Ríos
0
3
Largely a spectator out wide on the right but in the little that he saw of the ball, Rios managed to create a bit of danger as a few of his deliveries into the box were put into threatening areas. He provided fleeting moments of quality in an otherwise meager offensive effort from Getafe.
Diego Castro
0
3
Unsurprisingly found things tough out on the left as there was never enough time for him on the ball to make an impact. He was mostly used as cover in his own half, and was taken off just before the hour to end a poor game.
Francisco Casquero
0
3
Never looked close to settling in the game as the movement of the Barcelona midfield often left him in the dust. The veteran midfielder simply did not have the legs to keep up.
Juan Rodríguez
0
4
Anonymous display as ostensibly the most attack minded midfielder for the visitors. Never remotely close to making a dent on proceedings. He gained possession one or two times, but promptly coughed it back up as there was no viable support around him.
Rubén Pérez
0
3
Much like Casquero, his task in midfield was a fruitless one. Spent his time on the pitch chasing shadows as he was overwhelmed by the constant pressure. However, on an extremely rare attack for the visitors, he did manage to send a well-executed volley just wide.
Miku
0
3
Stretched his legs once or twice on the counterattack to temporarily relieve the pressure on his side, but was never able to cause a real problem for the Barcelona defence. His game, for the most part, consisted of chasing down lost causes and providing a lone outlet up front for Getafe.
• Substitutions
Arroyo
0
3
Late cameo
Jaime Gavilán Martínez
0
3
Not surprisingly, he never adapted to the pace of the game.
Abdel
0
3
As anonymous as his predecessor Rodriguez
for this time ra "VISCA BARCA"
ReplyDelete