Betis beat Barça in seven-goal thriller

Goals from Junior, Joaquin, Giovanni Lo Celso and Sergio Canales capped off an inspired performance and the Catalans were unable to live with the pace on the break from Quique Setien’s side, who won 4-3.

Lionel Messi returned to the starting lineup for Barcelona following three weeks out with a broken arm, but despite scoring twice, he was powerless as Betis ran riot. After going behind the ‘Blaugrana’ never got level in the game again and it was only for brief periods that the Betis lead looked under threat.

They were ahead after 20 minutes and never looked back. William Carvalho unlocked the defence with a pinpoint pass, finding Junior who raced into the box. The Spanish youngster made no mistake with the rest, sending a finish past ter Stegen at the near post.

37-year-old Joaquin made it two after tapping in from Tello’s cross. Both goals came down the left flank, with Junior marauding down that touchline all afternoon and causing Barça real problems.

However, they thought they had a lifeline with twenty minutes to go. Tello put an arm on Jordi Alba in the box and the Spaniard went to ground. A penalty was awarded and Messi slammed home to set up a tense final. No one could have predicted what would come next.

Lo Celso immediately re-established the two-goal lead, thanks to a rare error from ter Stegen in goal. The German ‘keeper fumbled the right-footed effort through his palms and it nestled in the bottom corner.

Arturo Vidal brought Barcelona back within range with a simple tap-in on 79 minutes, and although Munir appeared offside in the build up the goal was allowed to stand after consultation with VAR.

Still though Betis pressed, and their speed on the counter created more problems as Ivan Rakitic was forced to take evasive action and halt Lo Celso in his tracks, picking up his second yellow of the night and earning an early bath.

Canales compounded his misery by tapping in seconds later after coming off the bench, before there was time for one more episode of drama. A fluid Barca move saw Messi tap in deep into added time, but the effort was initially ruled out.

Replays showed Vidal was clearly onside when assisting and the goal was given, but for the first time, calmness came over the stadium as Betis saw out the final seconds with relative ease.

It is a result that opens the door for the teams below the ‘Blaugrana’, particularly Atletico Madrid. After picking up a late win on Saturday, Diego Simeone’s side will play Barcelona after the international break with the winner of that one going top of the league. Betis, on their part, move into the top half and will hope they can replicate this form going forward.

 

11 November 2018