La Liga Result: Barcelona 4-0 Real Betis
Raphinha stars as Blaugrana restore 11-point lead
La Liga result: Barcelona 4-0 Real Betis as Raphinha scored one and assisted another to restore the Catalan giants 11-point lead at the league’s standings.
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It was a comfort win for Barca at Spotify Camp Nout over 10-man Real Betis, at Matchday 32, after a poor performance that had them beaten by Vallecano last week.
Highlights
Real Madrid cut the gap to eight points by beating Almeria 4-2 before Barca host Betis at home, but Xavi’s side did not let their rival enjoy for long as they secured an easy three-point win to be back at the summit.
The home crowds did not have to wait too long to see their club take the lead. Andreas Christensen head home early from Raphinha’s cross at the 14th minute.
The visitors suffered more after the half-hour mark when Edgar Gonzalez received the second yellow card in matter of nine minutes.
Robert Lewandowski doubled the lead with his strike before Raphinha scored to make it 3-0 before half-time.
Lewandowski fired a right-footed strike into the bottom-left corner from Jules Kounde’s low cross.
Brazilian Raphinha smashed past the onrushing Silva following Sergio Busquets’ disguised through-ball. The goal was denied at first for offside, but VAR interfered and overturned the on-field offside decision, as Raphinha grabbed 20 Goals + Assists for the club this season.
Blaugrana went into the second half with comfort, but they had to wait until late in the game to have the fourth, and it was an own goal.
Guido Rodriguez turned Ansu Fati’s low cross into his own net at the 82nd minute, before Lamine Yamal was introduced by coach Xavi in the closing stages.
Stats
This is the only win in their past five games in all competitions, and the second league wins, but Xavi’s side remain to have a safe distance from 2nd place Madrid.
They have their eighth win in nine league games against the Andalusian club Betis.
It was a special victory for the club number one in the post Marc-Andre ter Stegen, with the birthday-guy celebrated by passing Claudio Bravo as the Barcelona goalkeeper with the most clean sheets in a La Liga season (24).
Raphinha was rampant too and he has now reached closer to surpass Neymar’s record in his first campaign with Barca
- Raphinha this season: 21 G+A (with 6 games to go)
- Neymar during his first season at FC Barcelona: 24 G+A
Barcelona vs. Real Betis had the youngest player to play in a LaLiga match this season (Lamine Yamal, 15) and the oldest player to do so (Joaquín, 41).
Next up
Barca host Osasuna on another mid-week fixture.
Author Details
TOM is a dedicated soccer writer whose words come alive on the page, mirroring the electric energy of the pitch. With a keen eye for detail and an unbridled love for the sport
