Barcelona beat Betis and got closer to the League (4-0)

Barcelona returned the smile after the puncture in Vallecas this Saturday, and Betis, punished for sending off Edgar González in the 33rd minute, paid the consequences of the ambition of the leaders of LaLiga (4-0), who caress the title with six days left to the end of the championship.

First-half goals from Andreas Christensen, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha ended the hopes of Betis, who see the dream of playing for the next ‘Champions’ – fourth now nine points away – fading. Barça, on the other hand, holds eleven points in relation to the closest companion Real Madrid.

After the setback experienced in Vallecas against Ray (2-1), the leader did not want to be afraid and dusted off the laziness shown in the last days to tame the duel from the beginning. And he did it with the plan A that Xavi Hernández wants: pressure and high circulation of the ball.

The Barça team was grateful to have finally recovered the quartet of midfielders consisting of Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri and Gavi, who in the first quarter of an hour of the game did not give Beticians any options. Also, the presence of Andreas Christensen, after a month in dry dock due to injury, was a blessing for the Barca team.

He missed the Andalusian team and the standout Sergio Canales, who disappeared in the three-quarter zone, only to be thrown into Barcelona territory by full-backs Martín Montoya and Juan Miranda, both from Barcelona’s past.

And as if that was not enough, he also complained about the injury of Luiz Felipe in the 12th minute, who was suffering from muscle discomfort. He was replaced by Edgar González, one of the protagonists of the match.

Without the Brazilian, the Barcelona fans, a little imprecise in the last pass, needed two minutes to open the can. Raphinha, who in the previous game was looking for composure from Lewandowski, found the composure to draw a tense cross, perfect for a centre-back like Christensen to rise between the defenders and finish elegantly with a header. The first goal of a Dane in a Barça jersey, indispensable footballer Xavi Hernández.

The goal woke up Betis, who managed to take the ball away. Guido Rodriguez started to carburize in the midfield and the Verdiblancos footballers appeared more and more often in Barca’s three quarters. They should have only linked up with Willian José, a replacement for the injured Borja Iglesias.

Barça stretched out a little more and looked for their options in quick transitions. In one of them, Raphinha stole the ball, and in his career he was brought down by Edgar González, who, according to the referee’s interpretation, deserved a card, even though it seemed that he touched the ball.

Nine minutes later, the Sallenta (Barcelona) footballer saw a second caution after a difficult trip on Pedri. The referee was warned by the fourth referee and Edgar was sent off due to the displeasure of the Betic bench.

And so Betis’ scoring opportunities at the Spotify Camp Nou disappeared. In the 36th minute, Lewandowski, to whom this Saturday Karim Benzema presented his candidacy in the race for the top scorer title, caught a cross from Koundé from the right and finished at will to score the second goal.

And the third shot between the three sticks of Barcelona in the first half ended in a goal. And he did it with uncertainty. A millimeter pass by Busquets to the diagonal of Raphinha, who did not fail Rui Silva. The linesman first canceled it due to the Brazilian’s offside, but after three minutes of deliberation, the goal was confirmed.

With the game decided, the second half was a formality. Manuel Pellegrini brought in another centre-back – Paul Akouokou – to protect against Barça’s storm.

It remains to be seen whether other secondary elements of the match script will be fulfilled, such as the return of Ousmane Dembélé, Joaquín’s ‘last dance’ at the Camp Nou or the debut of the young Lamine Yamal, who at 15 years, 9 months and 16 days decided to become the youngest footballer in the history of Barça who will play for the first team.

And Camp Nou witnessed these three scenes. Joaquín’s did not have a happy ending, however, as he withdrew in the 80th minute due to discomfort in his right knee, forcing his team to play with nine men. Pellegrini has already exhausted all changes.

Before that, neither Barça managed to increase the advantage – Lewandowski avoided the second goal with the goal post – nor Betis scored an honorary goal, which former Barça player Juan Miranda scored in a one-on-one with Ter Stegen.

Joaquín’s absence further weakened Betis, who conceded the fourth goal in the 82nd minute, the work of Guido Rodríguez in his own goal when he tried to deflect Ansu Fati’s shot. Even the debutant of the night touched the goal.

After a fateful night at Camp Nou, Sevillian extended the negative streak and added one point from the last nine possible. Barca needs eight to mathematically win LaLiga. The countdown has already started.

– Technical document:

4 – Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Koundé, Araujo, Christensen (Marcos Alonso, min. 59), Balde; Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong (Ansu Fati, min.59), Pedri (Kessié, min.73); Raphinha (Dembélé, min.73), Lewandowski and Gavi (Lamine Yamal, min.83).

0 – Betis: Rui Silva; Montoya, Pezzella, Luiz Felipe (Edgar González, min.12), Miranda (Joaquín, min.64); Carvalho, Guido Rodriguez; Luiz Henrique (Paul Akouokou, min.46), Ayoze (Abner, min.64), Canales (Jaime, min.75); and Willian Jose.

Goals: 1-0, min: 14: Christensen. 2-0, 36th min.: Lewandowski. 3-0, 39th min.: Raphinha. 4-0, min.82: Guido Rodríguez, and own goal.

Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande (Madrid Committee). He excluded Edgar González due to a double warning (min.24 and min.33). He warned Manuel Pellegrini (min.34).

Incidents: Matchday 32 of LaLiga Santander played at Spotify Camp Nou in front of 88,530 spectators. Before the game, Barca fans gave a standing ovation to Joaquín Sánchez, who will retire at the end of the current season.