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Getafe shock Real Madrid at Bernabeu to dent La Liga title hopes

Edem Kwame
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Getafe secured a historic 1-0 victory over city rivals Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, claiming three LaLiga points at the venue for the first time since 2008 and dealing a significant blow to the hosts’ title ambitions.

Arriving without several key players and having lost each of their previous 16 league visits to Madrid, Getafe adopted a disciplined and cautious approach early on.

They were indebted to goalkeeper David Soria for keeping the score level in the opening stages.

Vinícius Júnior pounced on a defensive lapse by Sebastián Boselli but was denied by Soria’s swift intervention, while Arda Güler also saw a sharp near-post effort expertly saved after weaving into the penalty area.

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Although the home side created the clearer openings, Getafe were far from passive and ultimately justified their breakthrough.

A defensive miscue from Antonio Rüdiger and Aurélien Tchouaméni allowed Martín Satriano to latch onto a loose ball and fire a superb volley into the near top corner.

It marked Getafe’s first goal in five meetings with Madrid and only their second first-half strike in 18 LaLiga matches.

The visitors began the second half with renewed confidence, frustrating Madrid despite increased attacking pressure from the hosts.

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Substitutions provided fresh impetus, but neither Dean Huijsen nor Rodrygo could convert inviting deliveries from Franco Mastantuono.

Madrid struggled to penetrate centrally, as resolute defending particularly from Domingos Duarte combined with Soria’s outstanding goalkeeping preserved Getafe’s slender lead.

Late drama compounded Madrid’s disappointment when Mastantuono was sent off for dissent in stoppage time.

The defeat leaves them four points adrift at the summit following Barcelona’s emphatic 4-1 victory over Villarreal CF earlier in the round.

A last-gasp dismissal for Adrián Liso for kicking the ball away did little to overshadow a memorable triumph for Getafe, who now sit eight points clear of the relegation zone with 12 matches remaining.

Edem Kwame

Edem Kwame is a staff journalist at GH News Media, where he covers sports, politics, and current affairs with a sharp focus on Ghanaian and African football. Known for his in-depth match analysis and timely reporting on the Black Stars, Edem brings a fan's passion and a reporter's rigor to every story he covers. His work spans breaking news, player features, and tournament coverage, including Ghana's campaigns on the continental and global stage. When he's not chasing the latest football headlines, Edem follows broader developments across Ghanaian society, bringing readers clear, well-researched journalism they can trust.

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