Barcelona stumbled yet again in their La Liga campaign, settling for a 2-2 draw against Real Betis on Saturday evening in the 16th round of the competition at the Benito Villamarín Stadium.
Barcelona found the net through Robert Lewandowski in the 40th minute and Ferran Torres in the 82nd, while Real Betis responded with goals from Giovani Lo Celso in the 68th minute and Assane Diao deep into stoppage time (90+4).
The draw lifted Barcelona to 38 points, maintaining their position at the top of the La Liga table. Meanwhile, Real Betis advanced to 21 points, securing 11th place in the standings.
The game kicked off with Real Betis applying early pressure, as Abdessamad Ezzalzouli attempted a shot that sailed over goalkeeper Iñaki Peña in the 3rd minute.
Barcelona quickly countered, with Jules Kounde unleashing a strike from the edge of the penalty area. However, Betis keeper Vitesse showcased his skills with an excellent save in the 6th minute.
In the 7th minute, Real Betis players appealed for a penalty after a strong challenge from Olmo on Lo Celso inside the box, but the referee waved it off.
Betis’ Vitor Roque then fired a powerful shot in the 9th minute, which missed wide of Barcelona’s goal. Olmo also had an attempt from outside the box, but his shot went high over the bar.
Barcelona took the lead in the 40th minute, following a well-executed attack. Kounde, positioned on the right, delivered a cross into the box, where Robert Lewandowski was on hand to tap it into the net.
In the second half, Balde tried to catch Betis goalkeeper Vitesse off guard with a powerful shot in the 47th minute, but it sailed over the crossbar.
Meanwhile, Barcelona goalkeeper Iñaki Peña made a brilliant save in the 54th minute, denying Chimi’s close-range shot inside the penalty area.
Ezzalzouli squandered a chance to level the score in the 56th minute, sending his header over Barcelona’s crossbar.
In the 62nd minute, Vitor Roque appealed for a penalty following a collision with Frenkie de Jong, but the referee initially dismissed the claims. However, after being advised by the VAR to review the incident, the referee reversed his decision and awarded a penalty.
The decision sparked strong protests from Barcelona coach Hans Flick, leading referee Alejandro Muniz Ruiz to issue him a red card.
Giovani Lo Celso stepped up to take the penalty and converted it confidently, bringing Real Betis back on level terms in the 68th minute.
Isco made his long-awaited return as a substitute in the 77th minute, receiving a warm reception from the Real Betis supporters after being sidelined for seven months due to injury.
In the 81st minute, Ferran Torres appeared to have given Barcelona the lead, scoring after a clever pass from Lamine Yamal. Torres slotted the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs, but the referee initially ruled the goal out for offside. However, after reviewing the situation with VAR, the referee confirmed the goal, allowing Barcelona to take a 2-1 lead.
In the dying moments of the match, Real Betis salvaged a point as Assane Diaw struck a brilliant heel-shot goal in the 90+4th minute. He latched onto a cross from Rubial in the box, scoring with a quick flick to level the score at 2-2 and secure a crucial draw for his team.
