FC Barcelona vs Getafe, 6-1 :D
First of all, I'm happy to say that this was a match worth waking up at 6 in the morning on a Sunday to watch. With Xavi Hernandez out for a hamstring strain and other key players tired from midweek international friendlies, we saw a few of the less usual suspects, with David Villa joining Lionel Messi and Alexis Sanchez up front and Thiago Alcantara and Alex Song playing with Andres Iniesta in the midfield. But given the magic created today, you would never have known that this wasn't Barcelona's first choice line-up.
The opening goal came in the sixth minute, and from an unexpected source: Alexis, who controlled Iniesta's pass at full throttle and nutmegged the Getafe keeper for his first La Liga goal of the season, much to everyone's relief (especially his own). Just a few minutes later, a breathtaking combination between Jordi Alba, Iniesta, and Thiago left Messi on his ass but with the ball safely in the net. There were no more goals in the first half, but it wasn't for lack of trying; Villa attempted to assist Messi several times, including in a bicycle kick that didn't quite play out, and Alexis offered him a truly lovely missed assist that left him covering his face with his shirt in chagrin. A second goal today would have given Messi his 300th goal for Barcelona, but it was not to be just yet.
The second half saw one Brazilian right back exchanged for another as Dani Alves came on for Adriano Correia. Roughly ten minutes in, Barcelona began a sort of pinballing exercise in the Getafe box that amazingly failed to result in a goal. But very shortly afterwards, Villa's generosity in the first half was repaid when Iniesta passed to Alba, who provided the assist. The home bench stood up to applaud as Villa stuck his thumb in his mouth, dedicating his goal to his kids including baby Luca.
Alexis came very close to heading in a second goal, but all he got was a painful-looking collision with the keeper. Soon afterwards he was replaced by Cristian Tello (and Carles Puyol by Javier Mascherano), and within five minutes Messi had assisted the recently promoted young striker in a gorgeous goal. No clean sheet for Victor Valdes as Jordi Alba misjudged a pass, allowing unmarked Alvaro to score a goal for Getafe in the 83rd minute, but the blaugrana had not yet given their all. Messi flubbed two more attempts but ended up assisting Iniesta in a goal of his very own, and finally in extra time, Gerard Pique charged forward on the right, passed to Dani Alves, and then received the ball from a generous Thiago and tapped it home.
What an amazing game from the entire team! So many of the players were truly great today, but I think that Man of the Match has to be Iniesta, with Messi and Thiago vying for second and Jordi Alba third only because his error gave Getafe their goal. Now they will have a week to prepare before facing Granada in La Liga next weekend and then AC Milan in the Champions League.
And once again, Andres Iniesta brings the goods