Barcelona moves through the early Spanish season with the calm of a side setting its own pace. Hansi Flick’s team made it eight league victories from eight by beating Getafe 3-0, extending a formidable start that has matched the club’s best opening sequence in LaLiga.
The previous Barcelona side to begin a league campaign with eight straight wins was managed by Tata Martino in 2013-14. Getafe, meanwhile, remain without a victory in the Catalan club’s stadium, their latest visit ending in another controlled home success.
A familiar benchmark in Barcelona
Eight rounds have passed and Barcelona have yet to surrender a point. The result leaves them looking down on the rest of the division as attention turns towards the next major stop on the calendar: El Clásico at Spotify Camp Nou, scheduled for Sunday, 25 October.
Real Madrid were due to face Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabéu later in the day. Before that fixture, Madrid sat fourth and nine points behind Barcelona, underlining the value of Flick’s unbroken opening run.
Atlético hold their place
Further north in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Atlético Madrid took a late 2-1 win over Alavés at Mendizorroza. Cristian “Cuti” Romero scored in the closing stages to secure three points that kept Atlético second, on 19 points and five behind the leaders.
Real Betis still had the chance to reach Atlético’s total when they met Osasuna at La Cartuja on Sunday at 18:30. Yet Atlético’s position was effectively protected: Betis would need to defeat Osasuna by eight goals to move ahead of them on goal difference.
