Barcelona vs Real Betis, La Liga: final score 1-1, Barça frustrated at home, lower two points next to Betis

Barcelona is still undefeated in 2025 and will end on the weekend four clear points at the top of the La Liga The table with eight games to play, but their sequence of victories in nine games in the League finished thanks to a 1-1 draw against Real Betis Montjuïc Olympic stadium on Saturday evening. Barça had all the ball and a good chance throughout the night, but did not find a way to beat a Betis side very well organized and obstinate, and while the Blaugrana always increased their advance on Real Madrid on which they could not fully capitalize Los blancos“The loss earlier during the day, and the title race remains tight for the moment.

First semester

Barça started quickly in the competition, establishing its domination early and creating two big chances: the first was a rocket of Pedri which required a great backup of Adrián, but the goalkeeper could not stop Gavi, who received a magnificent help by Ferran Torres at the end of a beautiful team move and gave Barça Le Barça at the head of seven minutes.

But the Catalans faced a very good team who did not lose their composure: Betis had a clear strategy to defend deeply and counterattacking with the rhythm and the goal, and constantly found Antoine on the right wing for their relief and also causes a danger. And this plan led the equalizer: Antony won a corner, Giovani Lo Celso sent him to the box, and Natan won the battle with Ronald Araujo in the air to return him to his home for visitors.

THE Verdiblancos continued to offer a real threat to the counter, finding Antony repeatedly looking for another chance. They could not disturb Wojciech Szczesny again, but they always recalled Barça that they could knock at any time.

But the Blaugrana He also continued to play their game and had several excellent moments thanks to their work of possession and their great pressing, but was all wasted with a bad finish and a bad decision -making in the last third by Ferran and Lamine Yamal, who had a bad rare game for his very high standards and could not find the final touch or install his teammates for potential assists.

The whistle at halftime ended up ending a very competitive first period during which Barça dominated the ball and should have taken an advance in the locker room, but Betis was still in the game and things were set up for a fascinating second.

Second half

Manuel Pellegrini made a daring substitution at half-time, sending the Chimy Ávila striker and taking off the defensive midfielder Sergi Altimira to add another threat of a boutis which felt a real chance of stealing a victory in Montjuïc.

But visitors were not likely to counter at the start of the period, because Barça did a better job to control the ball in the midfield, and their pressing was even more effective to prevent Betis from being done in the event of a break.

The Catalans continued to apply the pressure with their superior possession and Pedri created an incredible ball chance through to find Kounde, who had his shot brilliantly saved by Adrián.

The game was always completely square on time, and Hansi Flick sent to Eric García and Raphinha to add fresh legs in the midfield and at the front while the hosts sought to resume advance. Pellegrini responded with a defensive change, while William Carvalho came to add size and force in the midfield.

Betis remained extremely solid on the back and offered very little space, and Barça continued to make silly errors to waste the very some chances they had. We have reached the last 20 minutes with the game still to win, and the Blaugrana seemed more and more out of ideas against a defense of obstinate Betis.

Flick made two other changes with 15 minutes to go clearly thinking of the next confrontation with Borussia Dortmund while Alejandro Balde and Pedri detached for Gerard Martín and Fermín López, while manager Betis sent two fresh and fast attackers to try to steal a counter winner.

Betis completely parked the bus at the end by turning into a form of 5-4-1 and putting each player behind the ball, but Barça has always found spaces to create a danger thanks to Fermín, who came with great energy and a movement in the last third. But Barça still couldn’t find a path through, and old Blaugrana Defender Marc Bartra had a night of monster in which he made a crucial intervention after the other at the back.

And as Barça failed to put the match to put away, Betis encouraged himself to try a late winner, winning several turns in the last minutes. Even if they could not find the net, however, they always found a relief to have to defend Barça Blitz, and that was enough to win a point when the final whistle ended up in the whole square game.

It is impossible not to think that Barça wasted a gold chance in such a tight title race, but Betis was really good at night and a point against such a strong team is not exactly the worst thing in the world. However, Barça was useless and frustrating to look in the last third tonight, and they had to be better against Dortmund on Wednesday if they want to take a good start in the quarterfinals on two legs from the Champions League.

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Barcelona: SZCZESNY; Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsí, Balde (Martín 75 ‘); De Jong (Eric 57 ‘), Pedri (Fermín 75’); Yamal, Gavi, Ferran (Raphinha 57 ‘); Lewandowski

Aim: GAVI (7 ‘)

Betis: Adrián; Ruibal, Bartra, Natan, Perraud; Johnny (Llorente 78 ‘), Altimira (Ávila 46’); Antony (Jesús 75 ‘), Lo Celso (William 59’), Forals; Cucho (Bakambu 75 ‘)

Aim: Natan (17 ‘)