Barcelona miss chance to go six points clear as Real Betis hold them to draw
Barcelona vs Real Betis
LaLiga leaders Barcelona saw a run of nine consecutive league victories come to an end with a 1-1 home draw against Real Betis, as Los Verdiblancos avoided defeat in an away head-to-head for the first time since December 2021. The Camp Nou faithful had arrived expecting another dominant display from Hansi Flick’s side, especially after Real Madrid’s unexpected stumble against Valencia earlier in the day had handed Barcelona a golden opportunity to tighten their grip on the LaLiga summit. For much of the season, Barcelona had been a juggernaut, their nine-game winning streak a testament to the transformation Flick had overseen since taking the reins. With a blend of youthful exuberance and tactical precision, they had swept aside opponents with ease, amassing 66 points from 31 matches to sit three points clear of Madrid with a game in hand. Real Betis, however, arrived in Catalonia as a team in fine fettle themselves, unbeaten in their last six league outings and buoyed by a resurgence that had lifted them into contention for European places. The clash promised to be a fascinating battle between two in-form sides, and while Barcelona’s unbeaten record in 2025 remained intact, the draw felt like a missed opportunity, a rare blemish in an otherwise flawless campaign. For Betis, it was a hard-fought point, their first at the Camp Nou since that December 2021 victory, and a result that underscored their growing resilience under Manuel Pellegrini. As the final whistle blew, the Blaugrana were left to rue their inability to convert dominance into victory, while Betis celebrated a draw that kept their momentum alive.
Buoyed by Real Madrid’s surprise defeat to Valencia, Barcelona flew out of the blocks in the battle of two in-form sides, requiring just seven minutes to take the lead through Gavi. The news of Madrid’s 2-1 loss at the Bernabeu had filtered through to the Camp Nou before kickoff, igniting a sense of urgency among the Barcelona players and fans alike. A win would have stretched their lead over their arch-rivals to six points, a potentially decisive blow with only eight games remaining in the season. Flick’s men wasted no time in seizing the initiative, their high-pressing game suffocating Betis from the outset. The breakthrough came swiftly, a moment of brilliance orchestrated by Ferran Torres, who latched onto a loose ball in midfield and threaded a first-time pass through the Betis defense. Gavi, the diminutive midfielder with a relentless engine, burst into the box and drove a low shot into the bottom corner, leaving Betis goalkeeper Adrian with no chance. The 20-year-old, a product of Betis’ academy before joining Barcelona’s famed La Masia, kept his celebration subdued out of respect for his boyhood club, but the Camp Nou erupted nonetheless. It was Gavi’s first LaLiga goal since August 2023, a drought ended in style, and it seemed to signal the start of another rout. Barcelona’s early dominance was palpable—they controlled possession, dictated the tempo, and looked poised to run away with the game. Yet, as the first half unfolded, it became clear that Betis were not content to roll over, their defensive resolve hinting at the resilience that would ultimately frustrate their hosts.
As it proved, Gavi’s first LaLiga goal since August 2023 gave the Blaugrana a narrow lead for just 10 minutes before Natan powered a header home from Giovani Lo Celso’s corner to restore parity. Barcelona’s joy was short-lived, their lead evaporating in the face of Betis’ set-piece prowess. Giovani Lo Celso, the Argentine playmaker enjoying a renaissance at Betis, delivered a perfectly weighted corner to the near post, where Natan rose above the Barcelona defense to thump a header past Wojciech Szczesny. The Brazilian centre-back, a towering presence at the back for Betis, celebrated his maiden LaLiga goal with gusto, a strike that silenced the Camp Nou and shifted the momentum. Barcelona’s vulnerability from dead-ball situations, a rare chink in their armor this season, was laid bare, and Natan’s goal injected belief into a Betis side that had been on the back foot. From that moment, the game opened up, with Barcelona redoubling their efforts to regain the lead and Betis growing in confidence. The equalizer was a wake-up call for Flick’s men, who had perhaps grown complacent after their early breakthrough, and it set the stage for a fiercely contested battle. Natan’s intervention not only leveled the score but also highlighted Betis’ ability to capitalize on limited opportunities, a trait that would define their performance as they weathered wave after wave of Barcelona pressure.
Natan’s maiden LaLiga goal did little to alleviate the Barcelona pressure, with Torres diverting a gilt-edged chance just wide before Adrian made a strong stop to deny Lamine Yamal as Betis dug deep to survive an attacking onslaught. The remainder of the first half was a showcase of Barcelona’s attacking might, tempered by Betis’ stubborn resistance. Torres, who had been instrumental in Gavi’s opener, found himself in prime position minutes after the equalizer, only to steer a close-range effort agonizingly wide of the post. It was a miss that epitomized Barcelona’s night—moments of brilliance undone by a lack of precision in the final third. Lamine Yamal, the teenage sensation who has lit up LaLiga this season, was next to test Betis’ resolve, cutting inside from the right and unleashing a curling shot that seemed destined for the top corner. Adrian, the former Liverpool goalkeeper, had other ideas, flinging himself to his left to palm the ball away in a save that drew gasps from the crowd. Betis’ defense, marshaled by Natan and bolstered by Adrian’s heroics, bent but refused to break, their backs-to-the-wall effort frustrating a Barcelona side that threw everything at them. Flick paced the touchline, urging his players to find a way through, but the first half ended with the scores level, a testament to Betis’ grit and Adrian’s brilliance between the posts.
The former Liverpool shot-stopper was required again in the opening stages of the second period, reacting well at his near post to keep out Jules Kounde’s left-footed strike. The second half began much like the first had ended, with Barcelona piling on the pressure and Betis clinging to their point. Kounde, the versatile French defender, ventured forward from his right-back position and latched onto a clever pass from Pedri, striking a fierce shot that arrowed towards the near post. Adrian, ever alert, got down quickly to block it with a strong hand, a save that kept Betis in the game and further underlined his status as the night’s standout performer. Barcelona’s dominance was unrelenting—they controlled over 65% of possession and peppered the Betis goal with shots—but Adrian’s reflexes and the woodwork conspired to keep them at bay. Gavi, eager to add to his earlier strike, saw a fizzing effort deflect off a Betis defender and whistle inches wide of the right post, another near miss that left the Camp Nou groaning in frustration. Flick’s side were relentless, their interplay slick and their intent clear, but the final touch eluded them, a recurring theme that would define their evening.
Gavi then saw his fizzing shot deflect just inches wide of Adrian’s right post, as Hansi Flick’s charges continued to try and restore their advantage. The Barcelona boss introduced several players in the second period in a bid to find a winner, including substitute appearances for Raphinha and Fermin Lopez. Flick, sensing the game slipping away, turned to his bench for inspiration, bringing on Raphinha and Fermin Lopez to inject fresh legs and creativity. Raphinha, the Brazilian winger, added pace and directness to Barcelona’s attack, while Lopez, a product of La Masia, brought energy to the midfield. The changes nearly paid off—Lopez found space in the box late on and fired a low shot that Adrian smothered at his near post, another crucial intervention from the Betis keeper. Szczesny, largely a spectator in the Barcelona goal, was finally called into action when Natan tried his luck from distance, forcing the Polish veteran to tip the ball over the bar. It was a rare foray forward for Betis, who had spent much of the second half defending, but it served as a reminder of their threat on the counter.
The latter saw a late effort saved by Adrian, shortly before Wojciech Szczesny was forced into a rare piece of action to push away Natan’s ambitious long-range drive. There was to be no dramatic winner for Los Verdiblancos, but they would have been more than satisfied with a draw that makes it seven league games without defeat. While Betis move up to fifth, Barca missed out on the chance to put six points between themselves and Real Madrid, instead moving four points clear and maintaining their unbeaten record in 2025. The final minutes were frantic, but neither side could find the decisive blow. Betis’ seven-game unbeaten run lifted them to fifth, a reward for their resilience, while Barcelona’s lead over Madrid grew to four points—significant, but not the six they had hoped for. Flick’s men remain unbeaten in 2025, but the draw left a bittersweet taste, a night of dominance undermined by their failure to finish.
