Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski‘s strikes helped Barcelona transfer eight factors clear on the high of La Liga with a 2-1 win at Real Betis on Wednesday. The Catalans put stress on second-placed Real Madrid, who host Valencia on Thursday, by scraping a slim win from an intense conflict on the Benito Villamarin. With French winger Ousmane Dembele out injured for the following few weeks, Raphinha grabbed his likelihood to show himself. Dembele’s very good kind had restricted the Brazilian’s minutes since his transfer from Leeds United final summer time.
Raphinha put Barcelona forward within the sixty fifth minute and Lewandowski, again after a three-match league ban, netted the second with 10 minutes to go.
Jules Kounde scored an unlucky personal objective to provide Betis a combating likelihood of a degree within the closing phases however Barcelona held out for the win.
“I think we had a good game, our play was very good, excellent I would say,” Barca coach Xavi Hernandez informed Movistar.
“We played a great game at a very difficult place to come. I’m very happy not just for the result but for how we played, we’ve improved a lot from the Girona game.”
Barcelona had gained their earlier three league video games 1-0, together with in opposition to Catalan rivals Girona final weekend in a flat efficiency, however had been working on the next stage in Seville.
Betis began properly in entrance of their boisterous assist, with Alejandro Balde doing properly to dam Luiz Henrique‘s effort within the opening exchanges.
At the opposite finish Lewandowski headed extensive, whereas Pedri couldn’t discover a end when racing via on objective.
Raphinha had a objective dominated out for a transparent offside and Kounde flung himself in the way in which of Sergio Canales‘s strike.
Betis goalkeeper Rui Silva denied Pedri both facet of half-time because the Spain worldwide tried to proceed his personal goalscoring kind after netting the winner in Girona.
– Eight factors clear –
Raphinha appealed unsuccessfully for a penalty after a tangle with Abner Vinicius within the space, however the Brazilian’s complaints quickly turned to celebrations.
Frenkie de Jong cleverly fed Balde from a fast free-kick and the younger left-back slid a ball throughout the face of objective for Raphinha to faucet dwelling.
“It’s about attitude, competitiveness, desire, faith, our hopes are huge,” stated Xavi when requested about De Jong’s fast pondering.
“We are at a good moment with this, we have confidence and the morale to achieve success. That matters, too, it’s about competing well.”
La Liga’s high scorer Lewandowski’s return was largely a irritating one for the striker, having a shot blocked after Sergio Busquets set him up, whereas his contact was unusually clunky.
However the Polish worldwide completed clinically after Ronald Araujo headed all the way down to him, to web his 14th league objective of the season and twenty third throughout all competitions.
Substitute Ansu Fati headed extensive from one other tremendous Balde cross, earlier than Kounde by accident chested a ball into his personal web previous the outstretched arm of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, establishing a nervy finale.
Barcelona survived to spherical off the primary half of their league marketing campaign with a victory, aiming to win the title for the primary time since 2019.
Betis, sixth, had William Carvalho despatched off after the full-time whistle for protesting among the refereeing choices.
The Andalusians sit three factors behind Atletico Madrid in fourth.
“Against Barca the games are always like this, it’s hard to take the ball off them, they are capable of pushing you back and keeping you in your own half,” Betis ahead Borja Iglesias informed Movistar.
“Until their goal we were doing well, from there it was a different game.”
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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