Getafe achieved a major surprise by defeating their neighbor and guest giant Real Madrid 1-0, handing them their first loss in three months on Sunday during the nineteenth round of the Spanish football league. This defeat is Real's first in all competitions since losing to Espanyol 1-2 on October 3rd in the eighth round of the domestic league. Since then, they had played 15 matches, winning 13 and drawing twice. Real Madrid's points remain at 46, keeping them at the top, 8 points ahead of Sevilla, who plays Cádiz on Monday, noting that the royal club has played one more match.
**Wake-Up Call**
Real Madrid entered the match as favorites against their city neighbor due to the technical differences between the two teams, and history favored them, as Getafe hadn't beaten them since August 2012. Since that loss, Real Madrid had won 13 out of the 15 matches played against Getafe. Coach Carlo Ancelotti commented on the loss, saying, "We stayed on holiday for an extra day," adding, "Our team was not the same as before Christmas—less commitment and less focus." He continued, "We did not deserve to lose, but we ended up with a defeat that could serve as a wake-up call." He added, "Saying that we are still on holiday is not a criticism; it's the same thing I told the players. We take responsibility because the coach may have still been on holiday as well. We are still at the top, so we look forward."
Real Madrid pressed hard at the start of the match but conceded a surprising goal against the run of play when Brazilian defender Eder Militao lost the ball in the area, which was seized by Turkish player Enis Ünal, who slid it past Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (9), raising his total to 6 goals this season. Real Madrid responded with a shot from Croatian midfielder Luka Modric saved by goalkeeper David Soria (15), then Modric exchanged passes with French forward Karim Benzema and shot with his left foot from the edge of the area, hitting the crossbar (17). Real Madrid maintained possession largely without creating significant threats to their modest hosts. Belgian winger Eden Hazard and veteran Brazilian left-back Marcelo entered at the start of the second half to try to energize the attack, but Real Madrid's rhythm remained somewhat slow. The best chance came from Brazilian Casemiro with a volley from the edge of the area, which the Getafe goalkeeper managed to save (72), as did Isco’s header in the final seconds. Real Madrid has only lost twice on the road this season, with 8 victories.
**Title Holder Returns to Winning Ways**
Defending champion Atletico Madrid regained their winning momentum after four consecutive losses by defeating their neighbor Rayo Vallecano in the second Madrid derby of this round with a score of 2-0, thanks to goals from Argentine international Angel Correa in the 28th and 53rd minutes. Atletico coach Diego Simeone said, "Today's win (Sunday) was very important. The players showed heart and ambition. Even in the few recent matches, we displayed good things, but our mistakes caused us to stumble every time." He added, "Realism is the most important thing. It's an important win that gives us energy for the future." This was Atletico Madrid's first win since defeating Cádiz 4-1 on November 28 and their ninth this season, raising their total to 32 points with a postponed match, taking fourth place from Rayo Vallecano, which dropped to sixth with 30 points, one point behind Barcelona. Barcelona themselves returned to winning form by narrowly defeating their host Real Mallorca 1-0 and climbed to fifth place. Barcelona owes their eighth win this season and second in their last five matches to Dutch striker Luuk de Jong, who scored the only goal with a header from close range following a cross from Oscar Mingueza (44). German international goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen saved his side from an equalizer in the second minute of added time with a strong save from a close-range shot by Jaume Costa.
Iago Aspas followed Correa's lead, guiding his team Celta Vigo to a valuable victory against host Real Betis, currently third, by scoring two goals in the 36th minute from a penalty and the 45+2 minute. This was the second consecutive loss for Real Betis, which remained at 33 points, while Celta Vigo rose to twelfth place on goal difference ahead of Granada, which drew 0-0 with Elche. Real Sociedad continued to lose points, falling into a draw with visiting Deportivo Alaves 1-1. Real Sociedad started the scoring through Belgian striker Adnan Januzaj in the 14th minute, while Deportivo Alaves equalized early in the second half via Joselu from a penalty (58). This marks the sixth consecutive match without a win for Real Sociedad, dropping them to seventh place with 30 points and a postponed match, while Deportivo Alaves remains in eighteenth place with 16 points, enduring their seventh consecutive match without victory. On Monday, Villarreal will also face Levante, while Osasuna will meet Athletic Bilbao.
