Real Madrid refused to give up on their quest to retain the La Liga title, managing to reduce the gap with leaders Barcelona back to four points thanks to a hard-fought 1\u20130 away victory against Getafe in Matchweek 33.<\/p>
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The hero of the night for Los Blancos was their young Turkish midfielder Arda G\u00fcler, who fired a rocket into the net, lifting his team to 72 points in second place with five rounds remaining in La Liga, just three days ahead of their highly anticipated clash against rivals Barcelona in the Spanish Cup final.<\/p>
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Several noteworthy aspects emerged from the match, particularly regarding Real Madrid\u2019s lineup and the events that unfolded. Manager Carlo Ancelotti opted for a different starting eleven than usual in anticipation of the upcoming encounters with Barcelona \u2014 first in the cup final on Saturday, then in the league on May 11. Brazilian youngster Endrick started up front alongside his compatriot Vin\u00edcius J\u00fanior.<\/p>
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Notably absent from the starting lineup were German defender Antonio R\u00fcdiger, English midfielder Jude Bellingham, and Frenchman Eduardo Camavinga. Also missing was French star Kylian Mbapp\u00e9, who is expected to return for the upcoming \"Cl\u00e1sico\" after recovering from injury.<\/p>
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However, last season\u2019s La Liga and Champions League champions suffered two setbacks during the Getafe match. Despite Austrian defender David Alaba starting the first half in central defense, Ancelotti substituted him at halftime, bringing on Camavinga and shifting fellow Frenchman Aur\u00e9lien Tchouam\u00e9ni into a deeper defensive role.<\/p>
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According to Spanish media, the substitution was not for tactical reasons, but because Alaba felt discomfort in his left leg. Ancelotti chose to act cautiously, avoiding any risk, especially with the Cl\u00e1sico looming. Nonetheless, doubts remain over Alaba\u2019s fitness for the cup final, pending developments in the coming days, as he is currently one of the key figures in Madrid\u2019s defensive line.<\/p>
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The second blow came in the 89th minute, when Camavinga fell to the ground and could not continue the match. Having previously taken a knock, the midfielder showed visible pain, was unable to stand or run, and had to be escorted off the pitch by the medical team. He is expected to undergo medical tests in the coming hours to assess his condition ahead of the final.<\/p>
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The match also witnessed an incident that caused play to be halted for several minutes. Some Getafe fans directed offensive chants at Dani Ceballos after he entered the pitch, shouting, \u201cCeballos, die!\u201d \u2014 behavior that sparked widespread outrage in the 78th minute.<\/p>
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Referee Jos\u00e9 Mar\u00eda S\u00e1nchez Mart\u00ednez resumed play after the chants stopped. Spanish media widely covered the incident and delved into its background. The anger of Getafe fans toward Ceballos seems to stem from a controversial statement he made back in 2016 while playing for Real Betis. After Betis won on the final day of La Liga that year \u2014 a result that contributed to Getafe\u2019s relegation \u2014 Ceballos told the media: \u201cLet\u2019s see if you rot in the second division and disappear.\u201d<\/p>
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Apparently, that remark remains etched in the memories of Getafe fans to this day, explaining the hostile chants aimed at the player.<\/p>","continue_text":"Continue Reading","main_heading":"Blog"},"yoast_head":"\n