Barca winning streak halted by Getafe

AFP - 23 November 2008 19:35

Athletico Madrid´s Argentinian Kun Aguero (L) fights for the ball with Numancia´s Sergio Ortega (R) during their Spanish league football match at the Los Pajaritos stadium in Soria. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.

MADRID (AFP) - Barcelona's impressive run of league wins stopped at nine as Getafe snatched a 1-1 draw at Camp Nou on Sunday as the league leaders allowed champions Real Madrid to make up ground in the title race.

Barca are now three points ahead of Real at the top and it could have been just two had Mali international Seydou Keita not weighed in with a 71st-minute equaliser to cancel out Manu del Moral's opener.

Moral curled in a 19th minute opener to shock the home crowd, who were hoping for a 10th straight league win, and Barca looked to be heading for their first home defeat of the season.

But former Sevilla team-mates Dani Alves and Keita, who joined Barca in the summer, combined for an equaliser and both Samuel Eto'o and Gerard Pique hit the crossbar for the hosts.

"Perhaps we we missed that cutting edge and the final ball but we dominated the match especially in the second half," said Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola.

"I want to thank everyone who came to the ground for applauding us at the end. You can't deceive the fans and the day we don't play well they won't applaud."

The absence of Argentine Lionel Messi through a thigh strain did not help Barca's cause and it is uncertain whether he will be fit for Wednesday's Champions League match at Sporting Lisbon.

"He is a special player that is key for us but I have others," added Guardiola.

Barcelona have already qualified for the knockout stages but are keen to go through as group winners.

Earlier a stoppage time penalty from Jose Barkero left Atletico Madrid frustrated as the capital club dropped two vital points in a 1-1 draw at Numancia.

Atletico were poised to close to within four points of Valencia and Sevilla, fifth and sixth respectively, after a sixth goal of the season from Uruguayan international Diego Forlan but Mariano Pernia gave away a late penalty and Barkero cooly slotted home.

Atletico's rivals Villarreal, Sevilla and Valencia had dropped valuable points but the draw means they failed to capitalise and Javier Aguirre's team stay six points off fifth-placed Sevilla.

"I didn't touch the ball or the player," said Perea. "I wanted to avoid contact but then it was blown up for a penalty.

"We are annoyed with ourselves because we could have killed off the game in the first half."

Atletico manager Aguirre admitted the number of penalties his team were conceding was worrying.

"We have to analyse why we have conceded three late penalties in recent matches," said Aguirre. "I think it was a fair result overall but we will go back to Madrid with a sour taste in our mouth."

The Champions League is next for Atletico on Wednesday with Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven the opponents.

Atletico are joint top of Champions League group D with Liverpool on eight points but the home match against PSV will be played behind closed doors as UEFA punish Atletico for crowd trouble in their group match against Marseille at the Vicente Calderon.

Elsewhere, Osasuna coach Jose Antonio Camacho reached a milestone with his 600th league match as a coach and celebrated it with a 3-1 victory as his side won for the first time this season.

Almeria took an early lead but were handicapped by playing with ten men from the eighth minute and Camacho's side took advantage to climb off the foot of the table with Recreativo Huelva taking their place.

Real Madrid's under-pressure coach Bernd Schuster watched his side go second with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Recreativo on Saturday.

Real were far from convincing against Recre but striker Javier Saviola pointed out that the double champions are still within striking distance at the top of the table.

"It's important that we string some wins together, which will give us confidence and make us stronger," said Saviola. "Only then will we see the better football. You shouldn't forget that we are right up there, and that's what really matters."

Real are a point ahead of Villarreal, who lost 3-0 at home to Valladolid on Saturday.

Villarreal need to dust themselves down quickly as they have to face Manchester United at El Madrigal in the Champions League on Tuesday.