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A Pedri first-half strike helped Barcelona defeat Getafe at the Camp Nou.
Barcelona grabbed all three points in unspectacular fashion against a wasteful Getafe, thanks to a first-half strike from Pedri that helped them win 1-0.
After winning the Supercopa de Espana in Saudi Arabia, Barcelona are back in LaLiga action at Camp Nou. They looked to extend their lead at the top of the table, and they managed to grab the maximum three points despite their jet-lagged performance against a wasteful Getafe.
Barcelona were welcomed by a joyous home crowd for their exploits in Saudi Arabia, and they started with that verve.
The Blaugrana knocked the ball about, as is their trademark, but they found it hard to break down Getafe's defence. It remained so until the 35th minute when Pedri finished off a Raphinha assist.
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Andreas Christensen and Alejandro Balde were taken off at half-time for Eric Garcia and Jordi Alba.
Barcelona struggled to re-establish dominance against a Getafe side that looked inspired and would have conceded but for poor finishing by Getafe attackers and heroic goalkeeping by Marc Andre Ter Stegen.
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The 1-0 victory temporarily extends Barcelona's lead at the top of LaLiga by six points, as Real Madrid prepares to face Athletic Club.
Pedri fires Barcelona ahead
The home side struggled to create chances from their playmaking and build-up.
Counter-pressing at its best from Barcelona helped them win the ball high up the pitch from a Getafe attempt at building from the back.
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The ball landed with Raphinha on the left-hand channel, and he delivered a low cross into Pedri's path, who was making his way into the box. The diminutive midfielder arrived faster than the opposing defender, intercepting the ball flying across the post to tuck it past David Soria in goal for Getafe.
Barcelona lucky against wasteful Getafe
As the game tuned into its last ten minutes, memories of the game against Espanyol came to the fore in the minds of Barcelona fans at Camp Nou.
Barcelona also went ahead in the first-half of that game but struggled to add another, only to be victims of an Espanyol equaliser later in the game.
A similar outcome looked on the cards, as Getafe had quality chances to draw level or even pull ahead.
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Wasteful finishing from the side in the lower reaches of the table and heroic goalkeeping from Barcelona's new fourth captain and goalkeeper ensured the narrative was not the same as the Catalan derby.
Getafe created four big chances in the game and missed all four.
Barcelona scored the only big chance they could muster in the game.
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