Barcelona 0-0 Getafe: 5 Talking Points

FC Barcelona extended their unbeaten run in the La Liga this season after a goalless draw against an inspired Getafe attack at Camp Nou on Sunday (11 February). The hosts tried hard to create chances and press the opposition in sporadic moments across the game, but could not find the breakthrough till the final whistle.

Ernesto Valverde's team looked slightly out of steam on the day but still managed to salvage a point from the encounter.

Here are five talking points from the game.

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#5 Yerry Mina's home debut

The new signing did not disappoint

The Colombian impressed against Getafe in what was his first start for Barcelona. The Spanish giants did not play with three of their first-choice centre-backs on the day, but their defence remained solid through most part of the game.

He was instrumental in denying Angel Rodriguez a goal on a very big chance in the game and kept his wits about himself while going forward.

Mina developed a functional understanding with Lucas Digne and provided constant cover for goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who had a pretty forgettable day at the office, despite the clean-sheet that he managed to hold on to.

The defender, who was drafted to Camp Nou in the winter transfer window, was also useful in attack. Two headers from him almost closed the game for Barcelona, but the 23-year-old missed scoring on both the occasions by a whisker.

#4 Leo Messi's 300th game at Camp Nou

Another day, another feather in Lionel Messi's hat!

Almost every time Leo Messi steps onto the field for FC Barcelona, he unlocks a new achievement or breaks a longstanding record. This time around, the Argentine completed a landmark 300 appearances for his boyhood club at Camp Nou.

Of those 300 games, the striker saw his team clinch victory on 246 occasions. He played a vital hand in a massive chunk of those victories, claiming as many as 309 goals to his name.

The 30-year-old was not at his best on the day and was kept quiet by the inspired effort put in by Getafe. He could not create the magic he is known for and could not manufacture that one moment of brilliance that his team yearned for in 90 minutes of recurrent frustration.

#3 Barcelona goalless in La Liga for the first time this season

Luis Suarez endured a frustrating night

With this draw, the Blaugranas have extended their unbeaten run in the league to yet another game. However, they could not secure the three points this time around and in a first instance in the season, failed to score in La Liga.

The result meant that the table-toppers dropped two points at home, thereby reducing the gap between them and second-placed Atletico Madrid to seven points.

There were pressing efforts from the hosts, more so in the second half, but none of them could help them draw blood. Valverde, in his post-match interview, defended his players pertaining to the fact that they made the Copa del Rey final just a few days back and thus, might've lacked the necessary amount of freshness on the pitch.

#2 Mathieu Flamini's return to football

Flamini returned to the main stage for the first time since May 2017

Former Arsenal and AC Milan player, Mathieu Flamini, was released by Crystal Palace at the end of the 2016-17 season for free. However, he wasn't picked up by any club immediately.

He made a comeback to elite football after he was given an 18-month contract by Getafe last month. He made a promising debut for them against a tough and testing opposition and lived up to the array of expectations from him on the day.

He was introduced to the action in the second half of the game and went about his midfield duties with relative ease. It did not look like the seven-month hiatus has made the 33-year-old rusty, but this was just a peek into his current form. A couple more games will provide a sizeable sample space to judge how much the midfielder can bring to the table after all these years in professional football.

#1 Vicente Guaita's brilliance

The Spanish keeper was exceptional at Camp Nou

If a goalkeeper manages to keep a clean-sheet against the seasoned attack of FC Barcelona, his effort on the day ought to be commended. If he does the same against a Barcelona force that hasn't failed to score in the league this season, the magnitude of his performance reaches another level altogether!

With his immense effort at Camp Nou, Guaita became the first keeper in fifteen months to keep Barcelona at bay in their own backyard in La Liga. He saved direct attempts on goal from Messi as well as Philippe Coutinho to help his side gain the hard-earned point.