Getafe get up and at them

Barcelona are a club of European pedigree of the highest order. Which is why at 10pm on a drizzly Thursday night in England it was almost so easy to flick away from Sky Sports' coverage of their second leg encounter with Getafe in Spain's premier cup competition, the Copa Del Rey. 5-2 up from the first leg, last night's match was a formality for the Catalan visitors.

But Getafe, the minnows of La Liga, taught Barca a lesson in not taking anything for granted. By half-time the home side were 2-0 up, heading into the dressing room 5-4 down on aggregate and with a determined spring in their step. Frank Rijkaard could but watch on and ponder his side's poor performance.

Not long into the second half and the all-important third goal came their way courtesy of Vivar Dorado to desperate looks from Ronaldinho, Barca's buck toothed Brazilian wonder. Getafe were level on aggregate but would proceed to the final on away goals. The commentators could barely contain their excitement and the home crowd had long since let theirs fly. So when Getafe slammed a fourth past the side challenging for the league title, you knew you were witnessing something special.

Barca do not lose games 4-0 very often. If it wasn't for the hour at which this game drew to a conclusion I would have spent some time researching this point but am willing to wager it would take a while. They are, as is so often quoted, "more than a club", a force in European football and beyond, a beacon of footballing brilliance littered with stars the likes of the aforesaid Ronaldinho, the African Player of the Year Samuel Eto'o and Maradona's latest successor, the mercurial Lionel Messi.

Yet Getafe rolled them over and therein lies the beauty of the game. Underdogs can win, can turn things around, can raise their game, can believe and, on occasion, succeed. Whether they can do it two games running to take the trophy is, of course, another matter entirely, but for now their fans are in heaven and on their way to Madrid for their first ever final to give it a damn good try, and I'm glad I didn't change the channel.