La Liga: Barca Remain Invincible, Beat Betis Away

Lamine Yamal, Rodri, Gabriel Jesus, Eric Garcia and Dani Olmo all scored for Barcelona as they swept aside Real Betis in a seven-goal thriller to stay five points clear at the top of La Liga.

In a thrilling end-to-end encounter between two sides in this season’s Champions League, Real Betis played the final 40 minutes with 10 men after Facundo Bernal was shown a red card for an off-the-ball incident.

Nine days out from the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards, teenage contender Lamine Yamal opened the scoring with a sensational effort from outside of the penalty area. After a clever ball roll and flick to shift past an opposing defender, he fired a ferocious strike past Betis’ Alvaro Valles.

Hosts Betis levelled less than 20 minutes later when former West Ham midfielder Pablo Fornals saw his cross headed in by Valentin Gomez.

Barcelona re-took the lead before half-time as 2024 Ballon d’Or-winner Rodri headed in a Fermin Lopez corner. It was Rodri’s first goal for Barca since joining them in the summer from Manchester City.

Betis were left frustrated at half-time. Former Tottenham midfielder Giovanni Lo Celso’s long-range half-volley found the back of the net, only for the goal to be disallowed for a handball in the build-up. That infringement took place around 15 seconds before Lo Celso’s strike, but was deemed to be in the same phase of play.

Having seen a goal ruled out for offside seconds earlier, Jesus then gave Barcelona a 3-1 lead after a brilliant passing move. Jesus only had to turn the ball into an empty net when teed up by Lamine Yamal from close range.

Betis immediately clawed a goal back through Abde Ezzalzouli, converting at the end of a blistering counter-attack.

After that goal went in, a melee broke out which saw Bernal and Lamine Yamal clash. After grabbing the Barcelona forward, Bernal dug his head towards him and was dismissed.

Barca did restore a two-goal advantage through Garcia, joining fellow ex-City players on the scoresheet. Following a blocked Lamine Yamal free-kick, defender Pau Cubarsi squared the ball to Garcia to convert from close range with Betis unable to clear their lines.

Substitute Dani Olmo added a fifth in the final 10 minutes with a clever finish from the edge of the penalty area.

Three points for Hansi Flick’s side was their 11th win in as many games in all competitions this season. They sit five points clear of Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga and nine points clear of Real Madrid, who have played a game fewer.