La Liga 2025-26: Real Madrid makes mistake in title race after shock loss to Getafe

Martin Satriano’s superb first-half volley earned Getafe a shock 1-0 win at Real Madrid in their La Liga 2025/26 tie on Monday, a result that put leaders Barcelona four points clear at the top of the table.

Real dominated possession from kick-off and controlled the match but failed to convert pressure into goals, squandering several chances in an ill-tempered match.

Álvaro Arbeloa’s side were left unprotected in the 39th minute when a half-cleared cross fell invitingly on the edge of the penalty area and Satriano struck a fierce volley into the top left corner.

Frustration boiled over in injury time when substitute Franco Mastantuono was shown a straight red card for dissent, while Adrian ⁠Liso was also sent off for the visitors.

Barcelona lead the standings with 64 points, Real second with 60. Getafe are 11th with 32 points.

With Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Eder Militao sidelined through injury, Real manager Arbeloa makes heavy substitutions and hands 18-year-old midfielder Thiago Pitarch his first senior start.

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Getafe set the tone early on, disrupting Real’s rhythm with a stream of tactical errors.

However, Real managed to create openings, and Vinicius Jr. should have put the lead in the 13th minute when he raced clear on the counter-attack, only for goalkeeper David Soria to block his close-range effort with a sharp right-footed save.

Soria excelled again in the 24th minute, producing a one-handed stop to deny Arda Guler after the Turkish midfielder flew past three defenders during a dazzling run into the penalty area.

The decisive moment came in the 39th minute. After Real failed to clear a cross, Satriano – playing his seventh game since joining on loan from Olympique Lyonnais in January – pounced on the loose ball on the edge of the penalty area and smashed an unstoppable volley into the top left corner.

The Bernabeu crowd responded with boos at half-time, prompting Arbeloa to introduce Dani Carvajal, Dean Huijsen and Rodrygo, but the changes had little effect.

Real pressed on but struggled to break Getafe’s deep five-man defence. Antonio Rudiger headed close from a corner and Rodrygo shot just wide from a rebound, but the visitor held on.

Mastantuono’s straight red card capped a dismal evening for Real, who lost at home to Getafe for the first time in 18 years.

Published on March 3, 2026