Madrid (AFP)
Lionel Messi - Antoine Griezmann, connection found: the two star attackers allowed FC Barcelona to chain a third consecutive Liga success 2-1 against Getafe (3rd) for the 24th day, ten days before traveling to Naples for the 8th of the Champions League.
Two men for a way out of the crisis: in the middle of a nightmare two weeks ago, FC Barcelona was able to count on Griezmann and Messi, who nicely combined for the first goal blaugrana, scored by the Frenchman (33rd), as well as on Sergi Roberto, author of the second Catalan goal (39th), to pocket a welcome success despite the spectacular reduction in the score of Angel for Getafe (66th).
It is the first goal of the year 2020 in La Liga for the French world champion (13 goals in all competitions this season), who stung a ball served in depth by Lionel Messi after a clever lag of Samuel Umtiti between the lines. And "Grizou" could have given that to the 74th and the 77th, but his strikes on the right did not find the frame.
The six-time Argentinian Ballon d'Or, for its part, has not scored in four games, but has distributed six assists in its last four games.
The connection found between the two still valid offensive stars of Barça (Luis Suarez and Dembélé being seriously injured) is doubly important: it allows the Blaugranas, shaken by extra-sports concerns two weeks ago, to regain confidence before their 8th C1 final in Italy on February 26, but also to get behind Getafe, their opponent of the day, ten points behind them in the standings.
From the start, the Madrid suburbs showed that their third place is not usurped, by pressing high the Catalan formation and by obtaining number of occasions ... until the goal refused to Allan Nyom for a fault on Umtiti (23e).
But it was indeed the entry into play of Angel (52nd), 32-year-old striker coveted by Barça to make up for the absences of Suarez and Dembélé, which spurred Getafe.
The Spanish center-forward took a cross from Jaime Mata acrobatically to reduce the gap (66th), and then missed the goal of equalization (72nd) stopped by an unthinkable stop by Marc-André ter Stegen.
In the ranking, Barça rises to Real Madrid, tied on points (52) at the top of the championship. Getafe, for its part, remains third, but must now be wary of Atlético Madrid, fourth, returned to two small points after his beautiful 2-2 draw in Valencia Friday evening at the start of the 24th day.
Sunday, Real Madrid, who will find Eden Hazard, back in the Madrid group three months after his fractured right ankle, will have the opportunity to regain the head of La Liga alone during the reception of Celta Vigo (20:00 GMT) at the Santiago-Bernabeu stadium.
© 2020 AFP