A soccer player wearing a white jersey with ARDA GÜLER 15 celebrates on the field with arms outstretched during a match.

Source: Alamy Stock Photo

Real Madrid Narrowly Beats Getafe and Refuses to Surrender

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 1–0 away victory against Getafe in Matchweek 33.

The hero of the night for Los Blancos was their young Turkish midfielder Arda Güler, 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.

Several noteworthy aspects emerged from the match, particularly regarding Real Madrid’s 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 — first in the cup final on Saturday, then in the league on May 11. Brazilian youngster Endrick started up front alongside his compatriot Vinícius Júnior.

Notably absent from the starting lineup were German defender Antonio Rüdiger, English midfielder Jude Bellingham, and Frenchman Eduardo Camavinga. Also missing was French star Kylian Mbappé, who is expected to return for the upcoming “Clásico” after recovering from injury.

However, last season’s 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 Aurélien Tchouaméni into a deeper defensive role.

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 Clásico looming. Nonetheless, doubts remain over Alaba’s fitness for the cup final, pending developments in the coming days, as he is currently one of the key figures in Madrid’s defensive line.

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.

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, “Ceballos, die!” — behavior that sparked widespread outrage in the 78th minute.

Referee José María Sánchez Martínez 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 — a result that contributed to Getafe’s relegation — Ceballos told the media: “Let’s see if you rot in the second division and disappear.”

Apparently, that remark remains etched in the memories of Getafe fans to this day, explaining the hostile chants aimed at the player.

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