What should Barcelona take from the win against Getafe?

What a refreshing change of pace to see a goal fest in Barcelona again, and a second half where culers could just relax and enjoy the show.

It looked like everyone was surprised on the day.

Normally, a team coached by Jose Bordalás is gritty and physical. In this game, they looked intent on playing with the play, instead of causing havoc off of it.

Let’s not get it twisted either. Getafe under Bordalás this season has been very successful. Xavi certainly had cause for concern.

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It just so happened, however, that he got the player selection spot on for the occasion.

All of that space in behind.

This is the type of tactical setup that Raphinha and Joao Felix dream of. If Xavi had gone again with Pedri as a false winger, he wouldn’t have had the same advantage.

From the beginning, you could see what Getafe was trying to do, and you could see that it wasn’t going to work.

They were on the front foot, and on the attack. But that gave Barcelona lots of space to counter into.

Simple through ball after simple through ball.

Raphinha should have had a hat trick in the first half, and Felix should have gotten on the board too.

Frenkie de Jong was cooking all day long. Carry the ball forward, and getting involved in the final third too.

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My only regret was not seeing more of Vitor Roque. He’s another player that could have used his pace to create a vertical threat behind Getafe’s backline.

So what can Barcelona take from this win, without reading too much into it.

Were they that good, or was Getafe simply naive?

In other words, can Barcelona replicate this formula? Specifically, to get them back in the running domestically with 12 games to go, and with a big return leg against Napoli around the corner.

My analysis is that Barcelona took advantage of a Getafe team who got it wrong. Kudos to them. You have to make your opponents pay for their tactical mistakes.

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But the Barcelona style and approach wasn’t fundamentally different. They just had more opportunities because their opponent played in a high line, which is rare for Barcelona to see, and did a very ineffective job pressing high to keep Barca from building out.

The biggest take away from me is that Raphinha still has a lot to offer. But he’ll probably struggle to maximize his potential in the Barca colors. Games like this, that he feasts on, will always be an anomaly.

It’s nice that Lamine Yamal got a rest. Ultimately, I think he’s still a better option than Raphinha on the right wing.

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Seeing this game, part of me wishes that Barcelona would be more willing to adapt their approach from game to game, based on the opponent they’re playing. One of their biggest problems for years has been how slow and predictable they are with their plan A, while having no plan B to turn to.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is let your opponent be the one to make mistakes, and then capitalize on them. That’s pretty much the Real Madrid mantra, and it’s a solid recipe for results.

But most importantly, whether it was entirely earned or not, a game like this can change the mentality of a team, infusing them with a bit of confidence that could pay dividends in the short term.

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I’ll be keen to see how Napoli does tomorrow in their second game with new manager Francesco Calzona.

Both teams have struggled in 2024, so the one who comes out on top in the Champions League second leg could be the one that picks up momentum at the right time.

Beating Getafe was critical for Barcelona, and makes it even more frustrating that they slipped up so badly against Granada a few weeks ago.

In a week, they’ll have a chance to get revenge against Athletic Club.

If they can win that one, it would truly represent a change in fortune.

The question will be Xavi’s takeaways, and if he takes the commanding 4-0 win as evidence to continue with the lineup, or if Lamine and Pedri make their return.

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I say let them compete for it in training this week. There’s still a lot to play for, so there should be no time off between games.

For now, I’m just grateful for ninety minutes without stress.

I could get used to that.