Barca move up to second in La Liga.

Spain: For the first time in five months, Barca returned to second place in La Liga, thanks to a 4-0 victory over visiting Getafe in round 26.

Barca's fourth win in the last five rounds has helped them close the gap with league leaders Real Madrid to five points, although the defending champions have played one more game. Xavi Hernandez's side are in top form in La Liga, having won 13 out of a possible 15 points recently. If Real continue to slip up, the title race will heat up again.

Raphinha celebrates the opening goal for Barca against Getafe at the Olimpic Lluis Companys stadium in Barcelona, ​​Spain, on February 24, 2024. Photo: Lapresse

The standout player of the match was probably Raphinha, who scored, assisted, and even missed a golden opportunity. In the 20th minute, defender Jules Kounde passed the ball down the right flank, allowing Raphinha to race through and face the goalkeeper. The Brazilian midfielder comfortably pushed the ball forward before curling it into the far corner to open the scoring for the home team.

Raphinha was given another similar opportunity, this time from a through ball by Robert Lewandowski. But the former Leeds midfielder didn't shoot, instead sending a cross too deep, leaving Joao Felix unable to get to it in time at the end of the first half. Afterwards, Raphinha looked up at the sky, spreading his arms to the sides to express his disappointment.

In the second half, Raphinha made a series of mistakes, releasing the ball to allow midfielder Frenkie de Jong to shoot into an empty net, making the score 3-0. The Brazilian international has been involved in 10 goals in just nine starts in La Liga this season. However, he still faces difficulties in competing with 17-year-old midfielder Lamine Yamal.

Felix, after being disappointed at not receiving the ball from Raphina at the end of the first half, was rewarded with joy at the start of the second half. Defender Andreas Christensen raced down the right wing, delivering a perfect cross for the Portuguese international to tap into the near corner. Felix immediately pointed towards Christensen in gratitude after the ball went into the net.

Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood (right) failed to impress due to the significant difference in skill between the two teams. Photo: EFE

Fermin Lopez's injury-time goal gave Barca their biggest win since their 5-0 thrashing of Royal Antwerp in the Champions League in September 2023. It was also the first time since then that Xavi's team had regained second place in the table, after the "surprise" team Girona suffered two consecutive defeats recently.

In the next round, Barca are expected to face a tough challenge when they visit Athletic Bilbao. Bilbao are also unbeaten in their last four matches and are competing for a place in next season's Champions League.

Hoang An

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