Staff Reporter.
Thibaut Courtois made a number of important saves as a depleted Real Madrid held off a spirited Getafe to earn a point that keeps them in touch with La Liga leaders Atletico.
Zinedine Zidane was without several players through injury, suspension or in isolation because of Covid-19.
Courtois’ first big save came early on when he kept out Mathias Olivera’s effort from close range.
The Belgian also tipped over Nemanja Maksimovic’s deflected effort late on.
Vinicius Junior brought a save out of David Soria just before half-time but Real rarely looked like snatching victory.
The draw means Real, who beat Barcelona last weekend and knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League in midweek, are three points behind leaders Atletico and two ahead of Barcelona, who have a game in hand.
Meanwhile Juventus‘ hopes of Champions League qualification are under threat after they slumped to defeat at Atalanta.
Ruslan Malinovsky’s deflected 86th-minute shot flew past a wrong-footed Wojciech Szczesny to win it for the home side, who leapfrog Juventus into third place in Serie A.
Atalanta are two points behind second-placed AC Milan, who beat Genoa 2-1.
Andrea Pirlo’s Juventus are fourth, two points above fifth-placed Napoli.
The top four in Serie A will qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Without the injured Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus struggled to break down their hosts and Alvaro Morata lacked composure with two presentable chances.
Indeed, Atalanta had been the more dangerous and seconds before his winning goal, Malinovsky’s 40-yard rocket shot had Szczesny at full stretch to turn the ball round the post.
Inter Milan failed to win for the first time in 12 games but moved a step closer to the title with a combative draw at Napoli.
Samir Handanovic gifted Napoli the lead, fumbling Lorenzo Insigne’s cross into his own net in the first half.
Romelu Lukaku twice hit the woodwork for Inter before Christian Eriksen speared home a left-footed equaliser.
Elsewhere Mauro Icardi’s injury-time winner grabbed a vital three points for Paris St-Germain against Saint-Etienne.
The PSG substitute headed home Angel Di Maria’s cross in the 95th minute to cap a frantic last 12 minutes in which all five goals were scored.
Kylian Mbappe’s quickfire double had overturned Denis Bouanga’s opener but Romain Hamouma looked to have denied the hosts a win.
The result leaves PSG one point behind leaders Lille with five games to go.
Bouanga’s neat 77th-minute finish finally jolted a slumbering PSG side into life.
Mbappe’s response was instant, killing a long ball with one touch and burying a low shot into the Saint-Etienne net.
He was then dragged down by visiting keeper Etienne Green and dispatched the penalty confidently.
Hamouma’s 92nd-minute equaliser piled more pressure on Mauricio Pochettino’s side but Icardi headed in to rescue a much-needed victory.
PSG’s domestic inconsistency has blighted them all year but this win keeps them firmly in the title race.