Real Madrid 1-0 Getafe: Satriano 39
As this game wore on and Real Madrid laboured away in their attempt at an equaliser, there was a strong sense that it was beyond their ability, the equivalent of a nonegarian trying to ride a bike.
Martin Satriano’s genius effort in the first half was enough to hand Getafe a famous 1-0 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Uruguayan striker’s first-half volley dealt a major blow and set the tone, Madrid spending the rest of the game toiling vainly in front of their fans.
There were a few moments in the late stages when Alvaro Arbeloa’s side might have drawn level. Antonio Rudiger powered a near-post header inches wide. It certainly looked, at the first time of seeing it, like it had gone in. Somehow it didn’t and Dean Huijsen, close behind, was unable to seize the second chance, failing to connect cleanly with the ball at the far post as it dropped dangerously.
Not long after, there was another, closer chance. Rodrygo slid and hit the ball across the face of goal. Getafe goalkeeper David Soria got a hand to it, directing it away from goal. It fell to the far post where Dani Carvajal, arriving, was unable to sweep it in.
There was then a third moment when youngster Franco Mastantuono ran in behind, but in his lack of goalscoring experience he failed to seize the perfect angle and directed his shot straight at Soria, who parried.
Then Madrid grew tetchy and Mastantuono was soon shown a straight red card for directing abusive language towards referee Alejandro Muniz Ruiz. The home side already had a litany of yellow cards and suspensions. Dean Huijsen, Aurelien Tchouameni, Alvaro Carreras and Vinicius had all got into the book for bad fouls or poor behaviour.
Madrid were reduced to ten men but then comically, with only a minute left, so too were Getafe, after they went on a counterattack and Adrian Liso, found offside, kicked the ball away as an act of time-wasting. It did little to dampen their spirits as they headed to only their first win at the Bernabeu in 18 years.
The result means Arbeloa’s side have now lost back-to-back league games and dropped to four points behind Barcelona. Madrid may argue they are missing key players Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, both of whom were unavailable for this game, but this was also a game where the performance was thoroughly lacking for much of the 90 minutes.
𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐑 🇺🇾 pic.twitter.com/WCK523GFqH
— Getafe C.F. English (@GetafeCFen) March 2, 2026
Madrid controlled possession from the outset but found a Getafe side organised at the back. The visitors frustrated them, soaked up pressure and then tried to spring on the counter.
It was also telling that Madrid had just too few clear chances at goal. Vinicius had the best one in the 13th minute when he raced clear of the Getafe defence, but somehow his low shot was directed painfully wide.
Getafe remained unbent after that and took the lead six minutes before the break. A hopeful clearance on the edge of the Madrid box was sent back into the danger area by Mauro Arambarri. The ball dropped invitingly for Satriano, who unloaded with a powerful volley that flew past a stunned Courtois and screamed into the top corner.
The audacious finish might have given Getafe the courage and energy to defend their lead after the break. But in truth they were helped no less by a Madrid that lacked any clear attacking patterns as their fans moaned restlessly in the stands. It was like an old lady trying to impress her grandkids with an act she knew when she was much younger. Hang on, we know how to do this. If only we could still remember the exact combinations, have our feet fall into the old patterns.
Unimpressed at the touchline, Arbeloa made a triple substitution before the hour mark, introducing Rodrygo, Dani Carvajal and Dean Huijsen, before later sending on Mastantuono. It didn’t help.
