La Liga leaders Barca drop more points

Subdued Catalans couldn’t break down Getafe to end up with 0-0 stalemate

BARCELONA:

A subdued Barcelona could not break down Getafe in a 0-0 draw on Sunday, dropping more points but still sitting 11 clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.

Third-place Atletico Madrid beat Almeria 2-1 at home with Antoine Griezmann netting a brace as he continued his sparkling form.

Valencia sunk deeper into the relegation mire with a 2-0 home defeat by Sevilla, who host Manchester United in the Europa League on Thursday.

Champions Madrid beat Cadiz on Saturday to cut back Barcelona's lead, and with nine games remaining it seems highly unlikely they will catch Barcelona -- but Xavi Hernandez's side are limping over the line.

Barcelona drew 0-0 at home against Girona on Monday and followed that up with a second consecutive stalemate, the team still wallowing after their Copa del Rey semi-final thrashing by Madrid earlier in April.

The one positive for Barca was a 22nd clean sheet of the season in the top flight, with Getafe, 15th, not creating much danger.

"Here you suffer, because the grass is high, the usual tricks, so it's hard, the clear chances you have -- you have to put them away," Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen told DAZN.

"It's a dry pitch, so it's difficult. We did things differently to normal."

Xavi echoed Ter Stegen's complaint that the low quality of the pitch played a part in the result, but said Barca could not hide behind it.

"It's not an excuse, we weren't accurate, we made chances but we could not finish them," said Xavi.

"But yes, the grass did hurt us, the ball didn't run."

After a slow start, the Catalans created the first clear chance at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez, when Raphinha fired against the post, with Balde's follow-up also striking the woodwork.

Sergi Roberto pulled up injured, seemingly with a hamstring issue, adding to Barcelona's long list of absentees.

The league leaders have badly missed explosive winger Ousmane Dembele and creative midfielder Pedri in recent weeks.

Getafe were content with the point, sitting back as Barcelona probed for a breakthrough and found goalkeeper David Soria in their way, although Borja Mayoral almost snatched a winner for the hosts on the break.

Xavi's side are still firm favourites to lift the title for the first time since 2019, but should they stumble at home against Atletico next weekend, doubts could creep in.

Getafe are four points above the drop zone, after Valencia, 18th, lost at Mestalla.

Sevilla, who welcome Manchester United for the Europa League quarter-final second leg clash next week, earned a hard-fought win over the frustrated hosts, for whom Ilaix Moriba was sent off late on.

Defender Loic Bade sent Sevilla ahead at Mestalla early in the second half, with Suso doubling the visitors' lead.