Barca Ease to Getafe Win, Atletico Held after Missed Penalty
Ferran Torres struck twice for champions Barcelona as they beat Getafe 3-0 on Sunday to stay on Real Madrid’s tails at the top of La Liga.
Dani Olmo was also on target for the Catalans, who trail leaders Madrid by two points after Xabi Alonso’s side beat Espanyol on Saturday to maintain their 100 percent record, AFP said.
Atletico Madrid’s stuttering start to the season continued in a 1-1 draw at Mallorca, in which their striker Julian Alvarez missed a penalty.
Playing at the 6,000 capacity Johan Cruyff stadium besides their training ground again as the club waits for the necessary licenses to reopen their renovated Camp Nou home, Barcelona dominated an unambitious Getafe team.
Despite his brace against Newcastle in the Champions League, German coach Hansi Flick left Marcus Rashford on the bench, with Spanish media reporting that it was because the England international was late for a morning meeting.
Flick has dropped other players from the line-up for the same offence in the past, including defender Jules Kounde.
“(Rotation) is normal because every three or four days we have a match, we need fresh legs on the pitch,” said Flick, when asked why Rashford did not start.
Rashford’s replacement as the stand-in for injured teenage superstar Lamine Yamal, Torres, took his chance with both hands.
“We have a lot of matches so it’s really good to have everyone on this (level of) performance,” added Flick.
