Real Madrid 0-1 Getafe: Los Blancos lose ground in LaLiga title race after Satriano stunner

Real Madrid lost ground to Barcelona in a fierce LaLiga title race, as Martín Satriano’s first-half strike gave Getafe a deserved victory at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.

The hosts had plenty of chances throughout the first half in the Spanish capital with Vini Jr and Arda Güler coming closest to finding the opener, but it was a stunning Satriano volley that separated the sides at the break.

Defeat leaves Real Madrid four points adrift of Barcelona.

As it happened

Trailing Barcelona by four points ahead of kick-off at the Bernabéu, Real Madrid did not waste time searching for an opener – and they could have found it with just two minutes on the clock, had Vini Jr not sent a curling strike wide of the far corner.

Getafe produced early chances of their own and came within touching distance of a stunning early goal, when Diego Rico’s volley at the back post was forced behind for a corner by Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Without ever looking entirely comfortable, Álvaro Arbeloa’s Real Madrid continued to flood forwards and created a number of chances for Vini Jr, who saw one effort denied by the foot of David Soria before a Federico Valverde cross bounced just in front of him inside the box.

But it was Arda Güler who forced los Blancos’ best chance of the half, spinning and dancing past two defenders inside the box before unleashing a fierce strike. A sublime save from Soria stopped the Turkish international from wheeling away in celebration, though.

Monday’s hosts were lucky to continue with 11 players on the field when Antonio Rudiger appeared to knee Rico in the cheek following a tussle; VAR opted not to intervene.

Real Madrid’s hopes of keeping pace with Barcelona were dealt a stunning blow just before the break when Mauro Arambarri nodded a Rudiger clearance back into the danger zone for Martín Satriano to thunder home on the volley, leaving Thibaut Courtois with no chance of producing a save.

The hosts sought an equaliser in the second half but could not make their pressure tell, with a number of corners around the hour mark failing to cause any real danger for the Getafe defence and Rudiger nodding wide at the near post with 15 minutes left to play.

Arguably the worst night yet of Arbeloa’s tenure was worsened inside stoppage time when Franco Mastantuono was shown a direct red card for dissent, with Getafe’s Adrián Liso receiving a second yellow card later on as both sides saw out the final seconds with ten men.

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