Barcelona 4-0 Getafe: Raphinha, Joao Felix and Frenkie de Jong in the goals as Xavi’s side keep up faint La Liga hopes

Raphinha and Joao Felix were the toast of the Estadi Olympic Lluis Companys after playing starring roles in Barcelona’s commanding 4-0 win over Getafe. The result moves them into second place in La Liga, five points behind league leaders Real Madrid, though their rivals have a game in hand.

The heavyweights from Catalonia grew into the match and cantered away with it after a scrappy opening 20 minutes, full of lost possession and long-distance shots from both teams. Getafe had an early effort on the edge of the box from Mason Greenwood stopped by Ter Stegen.

Out of little sustained pressure, Raphinha put the home team ahead. Breaking from an abortive Getafe corner, Jules Kounde slipped him through and he was ahead of their defence and in the clear. The 27-year-old deftly put the ball past the onrushing David Soria for a welcome opener to settle any nerves.

Barcelona made the difference all game long with tricky, pacy wingers and clever link-up play from midfielders Ilkay Gundogan, Frenkie de Jong and Andreas Christensen. They roved into the space that Getafe afforded them, beating the half-hearted offside trap regularly.

Robert Lewandowski came close on the half hour, just failing to reach a Raphinha cross while sliding in. There was a first-half under-current of fouls, and the game had its first yellow cards after 39 minutes, for Omar Alderete (Getafe) and Gundogan (Barcelona), following an off-the-ball foul and shoving in the box between the teams. Much ado about nothing.

Raphinha spurned a glorious chance on the verge of half time; with Felix running alongside him and unmarked, he overhit the simple pass. Little wonder the Brazilian was fuming as he went down the tunnel.

Soon after the break, Luis Milla gave Barcelona a scare, as his shot from range was saved onto the post by Ter Stegen. But the Liga contenders soon clicked into gear with the best goal of the game.

Building down the right, Cancelo saw Christensen’s run and set him off into space. The Dane played an inch-perfect ball across to Felix, who was ahead of his man to tap home their second. Simple, sumptuous football that Xavi Hernandez would have been proud to be part of in his heyday.

The confidence was up and Barcelona looked dangerous every time they came forward. On the hour mark, De Jong added another, as a deflected Gundogan pass drew Soria out of his goal. Raphinha nicked it off his toes and passed back to the Dutchman for an easy finish. Getafe were exposed far too often.

Both teams rung the changes, with Felix and Raphinha coming off to an ovation from the home faithful. In the game’s dying embers, substitute Fermin Lopez added gloss with Barcelona’s fourth. De Jong pulled the strings again, setting Vitor Roque free. Soria’s save from his powerful sheet landed at the feet of the 20-year-old Spaniard.

The boys in red and blue have played better since the announcement that manager Xavi will be leaving at the end of the season four weeks ago.

This was their biggest victory since September and their sixth game unbeaten in all competitions. Mid-table Getafe did not show the quality they offer, but there was little they could do in the second half against a flowing Barca in full flight. The shackles are off, the confidence is growing again.

Could they? Surely not, but this positive spell can’t hurt. Moving up to second and within five points is a step in the right direction to turn up the heat a little on their nemesis in the capital.

A comfortable win over Getafe does not mean Barca are back. We’ll know more about their moxie and title-winning credentials after they face Athletic Club away on March 3. Win in the Basque Country and they belong in the mix.

The 27-year-old had a game-stealing performance which will do wonders for his confidence. Back in the starting XI after injury, his pace and well-timed runs helped to split the Getafe defence several times in the first half.

He took his first La Liga goal of the calendar year well to give Barcelona the lead; really, it should have been two on the cusp of half-time.

His link-up play with the likes of Gundogan and De Jong, who were also clever and creative, was exquisite. He was unselfish to give his Dutch team-mate the third goal on a plate. When Raphinha plays so expansively, dribbling at opponents and marauding into space, it’s a reminder of how valuable the Brazilian can be for Barcelona.

BARCELONA: Ter Stegen 7; Kounde 7, Cubarsi 7, Cancelo 7, Araujo 6; Christensen 8, Gundogan 8, De Jong 9; Lewandowski 7, Felix 9, Raphinha 9. Subs: Lopez 8, Pedri 6, Fort 6, Romeu 6

GETAFE: Soria 6; Alderete 7, Alvarez 6, Djené 5, Iglesias 5; Kourouma 6, Maksimovic 5, Milla 5, Ricco 7; Greenwood 5, Mayoral 6. Subs: Carmona 6, Alena 6, Santiago 5, Mata 6, O. Rodriguez 6

20’ – Goal for Barcelona! Released on the break down the right, Koundé threads the ball through to Raphinha. He calmly puts it beyond the diving Soria into the left corner for a nerve-settling Barcelona opener.

45+3’ – Big miss for Barcelona! Lewandowski, so often the goalscorer, turns provider after getting away from his man and passing to Raphinha. It was two on two, with Felix adjacent and ahead of his marker. However, the pass was overhit and the chance went begging.

53’ – Goal for Barcelona! This was a goal to make football purists purr. Cancelo got the ball on the right and played Christensen into space. The midfielder didn’t even need to look up to slide it across to Joao Felix, who finished it from six yards out.

61’ – Goal for Barcelona! Frenkie de Jong started and finished the move. Driving from his own half past a Getafe midfielder, he passed to Ilkay Gundogan. His deflected attempt to slip in Raphinha saw the Brazilian nip in ahead of Soria, who rashly rushed to the edge of his area. He rolled it back to De Jong for a simple finish past a defender guarding the empty net.

90+1’ – Goal for Barcelona! Happy days for young substitute Fermin Lopez, as Vitor Roque’s shot is saved and rebounds into his path.