Real Madrid earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Getafe on Wednesday night at the Estadio Coliseum, thanks to a first-half strike by Turkish youngster Arda Güler. The win keeps Los Blancos within reach of league leaders Barcelona, trailing by seven points as the La Liga title race enters its final stages.

Güler netted the only goal of the match in the 21st minute, finishing off a Real Madrid attack that cut through the Getafe defense. The visitors dominated much of the first half and carried their one-goal lead into the break, with Getafe struggling to create clear chances against the solid Madrid backline.

The second half saw a shift in momentum as Getafe pushed forward in search of an equalizer. Alvaro Rodriguez and Mauro Arambarri had golden opportunities to level the score, but poor finishing and the brilliance of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois denied them. One of Courtois’ key moments came deep into stoppage time when he stopped a low strike from Alvaro in a dramatic finish.

Real Madrid had their own chances to extend the lead, with Vinicius Jr., Brahim Diaz, and Endrick all testing Getafe’s keeper David Soria. Jude Bellingham also made an appearance from the bench despite a visibly strapped shoulder, but couldn’t make a major impact on the scoreline.

The match wasn’t without controversy. In the 79th minute, a public announcement was made warning fans against the use of racist language, following an incident brought to the referee’s attention by Aurélien Tchouaméni. Moments later, tensions boiled over on the pitch, and Peter Federico received a yellow card for an altercation.

Despite late pressure from Getafe and having to finish the match with ten men after Eduardo Camavinga left the field with an injury and couldn’t be replaced, Real Madrid held on for the win. The victory gives them momentum ahead of Saturday’s Copa del Rey final, where they will clash with arch-rivals Barcelona in what promises to be a thrilling encounter.