Barcelona 3 - Getafe 1

Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Belletti (Iniesta 46'), Oleguer, Puyol (Rodri 84'), Van Bronckhorst; Van Bommel (Sylvinho 61'), Motta, Deco; Giuly, Eto'o, Ronaldinho. 4-3-3.
Getafe: Luis García; Contra, Pulido, Matellán, Pernía (Riki 76'); Diego Rivas, Alberto; Mario Cotelo, Vivar Dorado (Pachón 60'), Nano (Paredes 70'); Paunovic. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Barça: Belletti, Motta, Giuly for Márquez, Edmilson, Larsson / Getafe: Contra, Matellán, Alberto, Mario Cotelo, Nano for Belenguer, Tena, Celestini, Redondo, Gavilán.

Goals:
0-1. 05. Nano. Got ahead of Belletti to head Cotelo cross down past Valdés.
1-1. 22. Matellán (own goal). Deflected ball in to net after Giuly headed back cross.
2-1. 52. Eto'o. Latched on to Giuly cross to fire shot wide of Luis García.
3-1. 68. Eto'o. Ran on to Ronaldinho through ball to poke shot in off far post.

Barcelona extended their lead at the top of the table after coming from behind to beat Getafe 3-1. Bernd Schuster's side silenced the Nou Camp when ex Barça B forward Nano headed Cotelo's cross past Valdés with only five minutes on the clock. But Giuly hit the post soon afterwards, and midway through the first half the scores were levelled when Matellán deflected the ball in to his own net after the French winger headed a Van Bronckhorst centre back across goal.

The visitors didn't give up though, and Nano got the ball in the net again from Pernía's free kick only for the strike to be ruled out for offside. Rijkaard decided it was time for a change, and replaced a disappointing Belletti with Iniesta at the break, Motta dropping back to the centre of defence and Oleguer switching to right back (possibly as a trial for the Benfica match, when Puyol will be suspended).

The introduction of Iniesta changed things, and within a few minutes Barça were ahead after Deco won the ball in midfield and served Eto'o, who played a one-two with Giuly to shoot past Luis García. Víctor Valdés almost carried a Pernía cross in to his own net soon afterwards, but within minutes Eto'o had wrapped things up with a third goal (his one hundredth goal in La Liga) after Ronaldinho put him through.

It was the Brazilian star's 26th birthday, and he almost celebrated in style with a chip near the end which Luis García just managed to keep out of the net. But the crowd sang him "cumpleaños felíz", and the best present he could have was another victory which takes the "Blaugrana" closer to their second league title in a row.