Real Madrid Tops La Liga After Narrow Win Against Getafe
Kylian Mbappe scored the only goal of the match as Real Madrid defeated nine-man Getafe, reclaiming the top position in La Liga, ahead of reigning champions Barcelona.
The match took a dramatic turn early when substitute Allan Nyom was sent off for violent conduct just 44 seconds after entering the game, as he was deemed to have elbowed Vinicius Jr.
Real Madrid quickly capitalized on their numerical advantage, with Mbappe receiving a pass from Arda Guler and skillfully slotting the ball past Getafe goalkeeper David Soria in the 80th minute.
Getafe's situation worsened when striker Alex Sancris received a second yellow card, leaving his team with only nine players with six minutes remaining.
Despite the odds, Getafe nearly equalized in the sixth minute of injury time, but Real keeper Thibaut Courtois made a crucial save, stopping an effort from Hull City loanee Abu Kamara.
At the start of the match, players from both teams stood still for the first 15 seconds to protest against La Liga's decision to hold a game in the United States, with Villarreal set to face Barcelona at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium on December 20.
Real Madrid knew that only a victory would allow them to surpass Barcelona, who had won their match against Girona 2-1 earlier on Saturday.
Goalkeeper Soria made two early saves to deny Mbappe and delivered an impressive double save just before half-time, stopping a free-kick from David Alaba and Federico Valverde's follow-up shot.
Mbappe also missed a chance from a tight angle after being set up by Jude Bellingham, who was making only his second start of the season for Real following shoulder surgery in July.
It was a challenging night for the Madrid side, but they took advantage of the gaps in Getafe's defense created by Nyom's dismissal to secure the win.
England full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold was again absent from the squad as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury sustained during a Champions League match against Marseille in September.
Real Madrid's next match is scheduled for Wednesday, October 22, when they will host Juventus in the Champions League, aiming for their third consecutive win in the group stage.