Raphinha Stars As Barcelona Beats Getafe 4-0 To Move Into 2nd Place In Spain – News18

BARCELONA, Spain: Raphinha scored as soon as and performed a task in two different objectives as Barcelona beat Getafe 4-0 to provisionally transfer into second place within the Spanish league on Saturday.

Raphinha opened the scoring for Barcelona within the twentieth minute at Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium. The Brazil winger then participated in passing strikes to assist João Félix and Frenkie de Jong add objectives within the 53rd and 61st.

Substitute Fermin López rounded off Barcelona’s greatest win since September with a objective in stoppage time.

Leader Real Madrid is 5 factors away from Barcelona earlier than it hosts Sevilla on Sunday. Girona, which fell into third place, is one level adrift of Barcelona earlier than enjoying Rayo Vallecano on Monday.

Barcelona had been struggling at its stadium with just one win in its earlier three house video games, together with a 5-3 debacle to Villarreal that prompted coach Xavi Hernández to announce he wouldn’t see out the ultimate 12 months of his contract subsequent season.

But after latest stumbles by Girona, the most important of the 2 Catalan golf equipment finds itself in place to at the least develop into Madrid’s closest chaser with a 3rd of the season remaining.

Raphinha, a key a part of Barcelona’s pricey rebuild two summers in the past, was injured earlier this season and misplaced his spot within the beginning 11 when teenager Lamine Yamal broke out because the group’s subsequent nice hope.

“I am especially happy because I was having fewer minutes since coming back from injury, but the most important thing is the win that keeps us alive in the league,” Raphinha mentioned. “It is a privilege to compete with Lamine … Watching Lamine play so well makes me play better. And I am sure that he feels the same way.”

Raphinha led Barcelona’s assault along with his velocity down the suitable aspect that repeatedly beat Getafe’s excessive again line.

Raphinha latched onto an extended ball by Jules Koundé and slotted a left-footed shot contained in the far submit to place the hosts forward.

He had one other good likelihood to attain on the break within the fortieth, however he fired too excessive with solely the ‘keeper to beat.

Getafe threatened to level early in the second half when Luis Milla’s lengthy strike hit the submit after goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen received a contact.

But Barcelona once more broke Getafe’s strain when Andreas Christensen charged from his spot as holding midfielder to obtain a by ball by Raphinha that performed him clear on the suitable flank. Christensen squared the ball for Felix to complete off.

Raphinha helped make it three when he drew goalkeeper David Soria off the road and laid off for De Jong. De Jong then assisted López for his objective.

Getafe stayed in tenth place.

“We insisted on playing with a high back line, but we didn’t execute well at any point,” Getafe coach José Bordalás mentioned about his group’s worst lack of the season. “We even tried moving players into different positions to try to improve, but my team was never itself and never comfortable. We have to forget this game and just move on.”

Valencia’s sport at Granada was postponed after the visiting group requested to not play within the aftermath of a lethal fireplace within the japanese metropolis of Valencia on Thursday.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)