Getafe 0-1 Real Madrid
Real Madrid has reclaimed the top spot in the La Liga standings following a hard-fought win against Getafe in the Madrid derby at the Coliseum.
Coach Xabi Alonso made a daring choice to leave key players Arda Guler and Vinicius Junior on the bench, allowing Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo Goes the opportunity to shine from the outset. Both players were involved early, with Rodrygo setting up Kylian Mbappe for a significant opportunity, but his shot was expertly saved by David Soria.
In the first half, it was Getafe who came closest to scoring with Alex Sancris’ volley from the edge of the box narrowly missing Thibaut Courtois’ left post. However, neither team managed to find the net, leaving the contest scoreless at halftime.
Real Madrid intensified their efforts in the second half, with the introduction of Guler and Vinicius tipping the scales in their favor. Vinicius quickly made an impact, leading to the sending off of Getafe defender Allan Nyom just moments after he was brought onto the field due to an off-the-ball incident. Minutes later, Mbappe scored, assisted by the Turkish international.
Not long afterward, Getafe faced further trouble as Alex received a second yellow card from referee Jose Luis Martinez Munuera for a reckless tackle on Vinicius. Despite being down two players, the hosts nearly found a late equalizer in stoppage time, but Courtois produced a crucial save to thwart substitute Abu Kamara.
Real Madrid leads into El Clasico against Barcelona
This result propels Real Madrid back to the top of the La Liga table, two points clear of their arch-rivals Barcelona. The two sides are set to clash at the Santiago Bernabeu next weekend for the first El Clasico of the season, where Los Blancos will need to elevate their performance.