Barcelona maintained their perfect start to the La Liga season with a convincing 3-0 victory over Getafe at Camp Nou on Saturday. England winger Anthony Gordon marked his first goal for the Spanish champions by opening the scoring in the second minute. Gabriel Jesus, starting ahead of the injured Raphinha, doubled the lead before halftime, and defender Jules Kounde added a third from a cross by teenager Lamine Yamal late in the match. The win extends Barcelona’s unbeaten run to nine games across all competitions and keeps them six points clear at the top of the league.
Barcelona head coach Julian Nagelsmann adjusted his lineup to compensate for the absence of top scorer Raphinha, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained during the recent international break. Jesus, who previously played for Arsenal, appeared for the first time as a starter and contributed to the solid performance. "Playing at Barcelona is a dream, and the quality of my teammates makes it easier to score," Jesus said after the match. Gordon also impressed, maintaining his strong form from England’s recent fixtures as he successfully navigated past multiple defenders to score his first goal for the club.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Villarreal but finished the match with 10 men after Vinicius Junior was sent off for hair pulling during the game’s heated moments. The Brazil international entered as a substitute, initially scored a goal that was subsequently disallowed after a VAR review confirmed the foul, and received his marching orders. Vinicius apologized to his teammates and fans via social media, while Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni expressed frustration over the decision but emphasized the importance of the win.
Real Madrid’s coach Jose Mourinho chose not to attend the post-match press conference in protest against the refereeing, citing continued grievances over officiating decisions following their recent derby loss to Atletico Madrid. Despite their victory, questions remain over Vinicius’s potential suspension, which could exclude him from the high-profile Clasico clash later this month.
Atletico Madrid also claimed a late 2-1 win on the road against struggling Alaves. Cristian Romero scored a decisive header in the 87th minute after Alejandro Grimaldo gave Atletico the lead and Lucas Boye leveled from the penalty spot. Alaves was reduced to 10 men following Angel Perez’s second-half dismissal, which shifted the momentum in Atletico’s favor. Coach Diego Simeone downplayed the source of the goals, underscoring only their significance in securing points.
With Barcelona maintaining their unbeaten run, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid remain in close pursuit, separated by just one point in the early season standings. The competitive balance in La Liga continues to intensify as the season progresses.
