Real Madrid suffered a surprising 1-0 defeat to Getafe at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday, compounding concerns about their form and leaving them trailing Barcelona by four points in the La Liga title race. Martín Satriano scored the decisive goal for Getafe in the 39th minute.
The loss marks Real Madrid’s second consecutive defeat, following a 2-1 setback against Osasuna last week, and represents a significant stumble in their pursuit of the league championship. Prior to the loss to Osasuna, Real Madrid had held the top spot in La Liga.
Kylian Mbappé was absent from the Real Madrid squad due to a knee injury. He underwent further examinations in France on Monday, with the club describing the injury as a “knee sprain” that will be treated conservatively, for now. His availability for the upcoming Champions League matches against Manchester City on March 11th and 17th remains uncertain. Mbappé has already missed matches against Atlético de Madrid, Real Betis, Real Sociedad, and Benfica this year due to injury.
Despite dominating possession in the first half, Real Madrid failed to convert their opportunities. Vinicius Junior and Arda Güler both had chances saved by Getafe goalkeeper David Soria. Satriano’s goal came against the run of play, a powerful volley from the edge of the box.
Real Madrid pressed for an equalizer in the second half, with Antonio Rüdiger heading narrowly wide and Rodrygo coming close. Franco Mastantuono received a red card in stoppage time for Real Madrid, followed shortly after by a red card for Liso of Getafe.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the Getafe manager, saw his team withstand sustained pressure from the home side. The victory provides a boost for Getafe, currently positioned in the mid-table of La Liga.
In addition to Mbappé, Real Madrid were without Eduardo Camavinga (dental issue), Jude Bellingham, and Éder Militão, both of whom are continuing their recovery from injuries. Dean Huijsen and Rodrygo returned to the squad after recovering from muscle injuries.
The result leaves Barcelona with a four-point advantage at the top of the table, intensifying the pressure on Real Madrid as the season progresses. Bellingham and Militão are expected to return in early April.
