FC Barcelona 1-1 Betis: One point further ahead
FC Barcelona may have dropped two points at home to Real Betis this Saturday, but they are one point further ahead in the Liga title chase thanks to Real Madrid’s surprise defeat at home to Valencia earlier in the day.
It’s frustrating that a chance to establish a potentially definitive six-point advantage has gone begging, and also that the nine-match winning spree in the competition is over, but the long and short of it is that Barça are still unbeaten in 2025 and are in a stronger league position than ever. But, yes, it could have been even stronger.
The 1-1 draw is also irritating because things had got off to such a promising start. Gavi’s early opener had set things up for a perfect evening, but the reason it didn’t happen can be explained by one simple fact… Betis sure know how to defend.
Goals at both ends
In just the seventh minute of the game, and their first meaningful attack, Barça already had the ball in the net. A clinical defence-splitting pass from Ferran Torres followed by a confident finish from Gavi to score his first league goal of the season, against his boyhood club, and that was 1-0.
Barça were leading, but weren’t having everything their own way against a side whose six-match winning run has thrown them into contention for a Champions League berth. And on 17 minutes, Napoli loanee Natan rose to meet a corner and head the visitors back level.
No way through
Barça responded strongly, but despite isolated chances, Betis were frustratingly well-organised at the back and in Antony they had a worryingly dangerous weapon on the counter attack.
This game was turning out to be a very challenging one indeed. Had Cucho Hernández not slipped when he was clean through on goal things could have been a lot worse, but they could also have been much better had Adrian not made an extraordinary block to deny Jules Kounde from point-blank range.
As the minutes passed by, Betis gradually started pulling out of a fascinating contest, clearly the keener of the two sides for the game to end in a draw. Barça were inching closer and closer to a second goal, Gavi almost netting a second and Raphinha coming off the bench to make an impact with two big chances.
Next stop, Dortmund
Edge-of-your-seat goalmouth drama was the order of the day as Barça threw heart and soul into their late pursuit of a winner, but a green-socked foot seemed to get there first every time, former blaugrana Marc Bartra one of the main ‘culprits’.
The Estadi Olimpic was electric. They sensed a late winner was coming, and so many times it looked like they were right. But no. Now shut in their own half and largely hoofing the ball as far away from their goal-line as they possibly could, Betis somehow managed to hold on.
But a four-point lead on Real Madrid is still a very nice to be, and Barça can now turn their attention to a huge fixture this coming Wednesday. Dortmund, we’re on our way!