Barcelona took another step towards a first LaLiga title since 2019 as they thumped 10-man Real Betis 4-0 at Spotify Camp Nou on Saturday.
Andreas Christensen headed Barca into a 14th-minute lead before Betis were reduced to 10 men just after the half hour mark when Edgar Gonzalez was sent off for two bookings.
Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha made it 3-0 before the break, with an own goal from Guido Rodriguez completing the scoring inside the final 10 minutes.
Barca then handed a debut to 15-year-old Lamine Yamal for the final stretch of the match as they restored their 11-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the table with just six games to go.
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Rapid reaction
1. Barca recover from Rayo setback in style
Barca had lost for just the third time in LaLiga this season as they were comfortably beaten by Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday. Real Madrid’s win over Almeria on Saturday then moved them within eight points of Xavi Hernandez’s side, slightly lifting the pressure on them to get a result against Betis.
They responded. Boosted by the return of Andreas Christensen in defence — and Ousmane Dembele on the bench — Barca took the game to Betis from the off and deservedly led when the Danish centre-back headed in Raphinha’s cross. Any hopes Betis had of staying in the game disappeared in the 33rd minute. Substitute Edgar Gonzalez, who had replaced the injured Luiz Felipe, was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Pedri.
With the numerical advantage, Barca raced clear. Lewandowski flicked home his 19th league goal of the season from a Jules Kounde cross to put two goals between him and Karim Benzema, whose hat-trick earlier in the day took him to 17 — the last time the league’s top scorer didn’t hit 25 by season’s end was 2001-02.
Raphinha, after a brilliant Sergio Busquets through ball, then killed the game before halftime.
2. Lamine Yamal, 15, makes Barcelona history
The second half was an exercise of attack against defence as Barca eased to their 24th clean sheet of the season. Lewandowski could have added to the home side’s tally, but the most interesting moments came from the bench.
After Betis winger Joaquin, 41, had come on for his final Camp Nou appearance — he was giving a rousing reception by the crowd of 88,000 in the rain — it was time for Barca to hand a debut to Lamine Yamal. At 15, he becomes Barca’s youngest ever to debut in LaLiga and fifth youngest to play in the top flight (Luka Romero, who made his debut for Mallorca in 2020, is still the youngest debutant).
It was almost a dream debut for Yamal, too, who saw a good chance well-saved by Rui Silva, while it was a sad ending for Joaquin, who exited the match with a knee injury.
It was another substitute, though, who created Barca’s fourth goal. Ansu Fati, still only 20, saw his attempt turned into the net by Betis midfielder Guido Rodriguez.
