FC Barcelona moved to within touching distance of lifting the La Liga title after beating Getafe 2-0 away at Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
At a venue where they had not won since 2019, the Blaugrana were in control for most of the proceedings despite having important absentees like Lamine Yamal, Eric Garcia, and Raphinha.
Goals from Fermin Lopez and Marcus Rashford on either side of half-time clinched an all-important win for the league leaders, who are 11 points clear of second-placed Real Madrid.
Flick not celebrating title yet
Manager Hansi Flick expressed great satisfaction after Barcelona’s victory over Getafe CF, a result that leaves the league title within reach.
However, the German coach made it clear that there were no celebrations in the dressing room and stressed the importance of taking things step by step in the remaining fixtures.
“No, we haven’t celebrated anything. Before the match, I told my players that we needed to stay fully focused, and I’m very pleased with the performance we put in,” Flick said.
“It’s not easy to defend the way we did and stay focused at all times, but today we did it almost perfectly. At the end of the season, when the time comes, we’ll celebrate if we win the title.”
One step closer to the title. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
Flick was quick to emphasise that “we still have five matches left”, highlighting the need to “prepare well for the next match” and to maintain “the great atmosphere in the squad”.
The Barcelona manager also avoided controversy when asked about the poor condition of the pitch, stating: “We won 2-0. We can’t change the other factors.”
Instead, he chose to focus on celebrating the “great moment” that “the team, the club and the fans” are currently experiencing.
Speaking about Roony Bardghji and Rashford, who played on the right wing in the first match without Lamine Yamal, Flick had more praise for the Englishman.
“We played well in the first half, and Roony was part of our good team performance. Marcus made the most of the spaces. I’m delighted with his goal. It will be important for him and for us,” he noted.
Pedri was the star of the show for Barcelona as he put on a masterclass in midfield, with his brilliant assist to set Fermin up for the opening goal being a major highlight.
Following his outstanding performance, the midfielder received applause from sections of the Getafe supporters.
“I think this shows the excellent sportsmanship of the fans in attendance. And it reflects Pedri’s style of play, as well as his personality, mentality and quality,” said Flick.
“He had a great game and I was delighted to see them show him respect,” he concluded.
Source: SPORT
