Barcelona had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Real Betis on Saturday, without beating their hosts.
The Blaugrana waved goodbye to their 2-1 lead in added time after a late strike from Assane Diao changed the narrative of the game in the dying moments. Barça it might have felt unfair to have to share the points, but in the end we were lucky enough to get away with anything.
Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres scored for Barca, while Lamine Yamal and Jules Kounde also stood out as impressive performers.
How the match unfolded
It was Betis who came close to grabbing the first goal of the game after a ball from Diego Llorente flew into the area. Inaki Pena had no chance of stopping the attack, but fortunately in-form winger Raphinha showed his talent in both attack and defence, clearing the ball off the line and keeping the scores level.
Moments later another great chance arrived for the home side, but despite their best efforts, Betis were unable to take an early lead. After failing to overcome the Blaugrana, Betis were soon forced to face several chances from the hungry visitors.
A good run of play was the precursor to Barça’s first strike. A threaded pass of Peter a Kounde presented a stunning opportunity for the right-back to find Lewandowski who, when in doubt, slotted home to put his side in front.
It was a simple but fascinating opportunity for the Catalans, who highlighted their ability to communicate fluently on the pitch.
When both teams left the pitch and headed to the dressing rooms at half-time, Betis would have felt more frustrated than a Barça leader.
When play resumed, Betis continued to find a way to get back into the game. Once again they showed danger at the end of headers – one chance came after Giovani Lo Celso’s free-kick and another moments later when the midfielder tried to nod in a goal.
Neither materialized and the hosts grew increasingly frustrated by their lack of end product.
The tempo of the game changed shortly after the hour mark when a risky challenge from Frenkie de Jong caught Vitor Roque off balance. The hosts called for a penalty and got their wish after a VAR check.
Hansi Flick made his feelings clear in the penalty shootout and received a red card for his reaction.
Betis converted the penalty with ease and suddenly got back into the game. But, in no time, Barça youngster Yamal entered the action and found Torres who slid the ball into the back of the net.
With just eight minutes of normal time remaining, Barca looked to have escaped their trip to Sevilla with all three points, but Assane Diao had other plans. Without wasting time, Diao directed a well-timed cross into the net, leaving Barça with nothing but regret for the final seconds of the game.
The whistle blew and it was all over for Barça, who lost the chance to go seven points ahead of the reigning champions. Real Madrid.
Check Real Betis vs Barcelona player ratings here.
If you read any of them transfer column ahead of the winter or summer windows, you will likely come across a number of rumors linking Barça with a Lewandowski replacement Of course, there is the question of his age, but the 36-year-old is still playing like a player in his prime and shouldn’t be overlooked.
The Polish striker made the difference for the Catalans in the first half, scoring a goal in the back of the net thanks to a beautiful pass from Kounde.
His teammates know he is a reliable presence in front of goal, and his opponents fear his ability to finish. It’s now 16 goals for Lewandowski in La Liga this season – the league’s top scorer continues to shine.
The Barcelona Flick coach usually has a strong presence on the touchline, but against Betis he let his emotions get in the way. The Blaugrana never took control of the game, and could easily have left Saturday’s clash with their heads in their hands.
But when a manager gets a red card for his sideline reaction to a penalty decision, it usually doesn’t bode well for the rest of the squad.
After Betis’ penalty, the Blaugrana struggled to get back into the game, with the likes of Yamal working hard to encourage the rest of his teammates to dig deep. Ultimately, that’s the manager’s job, but no one can do is banish him from the touchline.
Although Barça missed the chance to go seven points clear of Madrid during Saturday’s games, they remain firmly at the top of the The league table.
The whites will not be able to overtake them during this game week, but they could reduce the difference to just two points if they take all three of their clash with Girona.
The Catalans are still the team to beat, but now they are wondering if they can hold on to their immense start to the campaign.
