Barcelona move closer to La Liga title with win over Getafe

Sunday April 26, 2026

FC Barcelona tightened its grip on the La Liga race on Saturday, grinding out a 2-0 victory at Getafe to stretch its lead over Real Madrid to 11 points with just 18 still on offer.

For long spells, the match offered little in the way of clear chances. That changed in first-half stoppage time, when Fermin Lopez pierced the Getafe back line and finished past David Soria to break the deadlock.

Barcelona then managed the contest with composure after the interval against a Getafe side that had lost much of its early edge. The visitors doubled their advantage shortly after Pau Cubarsi had cleared the home team’s best opportunity almost on the goal line.

Robert Lewandowski spotted Marcus Rashford running in behind Getafe’s advanced defense, and the forward finished calmly for 2-0.

Atletico Madrid also delivered a comeback at home, overturning an early deficit to defeat Athletic Bilbao 3-2. Aitor Paredes put Athletic ahead with a header midway through the first half, but Antoine Griezmann and Alexander Sorloth struck in quick succession early in the second to swing the match. Sorloth later added a third in stoppage time, before Gorka Guruzeta nodded in a 97th-minute consolation for the visitors.

Alaves endured an early setback when leading striker Lucas Boye was forced off with a hamstring injury after only two minutes in its home meeting with Mallorca. Jan Virgili then produced a fine solo effort to give the visitors the lead, but Alaves took control after the break and climbed out of the bottom three with a 2-1 win, powered by a brace from top scorer Toni Martinez.

Valencia, too, claimed three crucial points, beating Girona 2-1 at home after an absorbing second half. The hosts went 2-0 up through Largie Ramazani in the 50th minute and Umar Sadiq nine minutes later.

Substitute Joel Roca pulled one back for Girona, who still found no way past Stole Dimitrievski, whose remarkable injury-time stop preserved Valencia’s victory.