Barcelona has finally returned to the winning path in the league thanks to a very entertaining 5-2 win over Real Betis at the Camp Nou. Barça played the 90 minutes well and created a lot of chances, missed a lot from the start, and then Lionel Messi came in as a substitute to score twice and lead the team. Blaugrana to a great victory.
FIRST HALF
Barça made a very good start to the game, allowing Betis to have more ball while looking to stay solid in the back and be dangerous on the counter. The plan worked: Ousmane Dembélé was a terror on the right, Pedri found spaces on the left to create chances and Ansu Fati looked comfortable and dangerous in the forward position.
Then there was Antoine Griezmann, who missed three golden opportunities early on before giving Dembélé an assist for what was an incredible goal and first goal. Then Ansu Fati won a penalty, which Griezmann missed, and the Frenchman had wasted four really good chances in the half.
And just before the break, Barça paid for lost chances: Cristian Tello played a center from the left, no defense could clear it and Antonio Sanabria equalized for the visitors.
At halftime, Barça were playing well but couldn’t take advantage of their opportunities, and what should be an easy win was a nervous game in the second half.
SECOND HALF
Ronald Koeman decided to rest Lionel Messi for the start of this match, but hired him at half-time to help Barça win. And Messi was incredible, creating opportunity after opportunity for himself and the others and scoring twice, first from a penalty, then on his first goal in open play this season after a great assist from Sergi Roberto.
Messi’s best contribution, however, was a GENIUS dummy that took three defenders completely out of the game and gave Griezmann a touch. Pedri also later joined the scoring party, and Loren scored for Betis midway through the second half to make it a highly entertaining final. The final whistle came to end an excellent performance by Barça and a great victory against a good team.
This team doesn’t give me any reason to hope for some kind of consistency after this game, but it’s certainly a fun way to get into the international break.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Roberto, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba; Dembélé (Trincão 66 ‘), Busquets (Pjanic 86’), De Jong, Pedri; Griezmann (Braithwaite 78 ‘), Fati (Messi 46’)
Goals: Dembélé (22 ‘), Griezmann (49’), Messi (61 ‘pen., 82’), Pedri (90 ‘)
Real Betis: Bravo; Emerson, Mandi, Bartra, Moreno; William, Rodríguez; Joaquín (Ruibal 62 ‘), Canales (Rodri 86’), Tello (Ruiz 62 ‘); Sanabria (Loren 71 ‘)
Goals: Sanabria (45 ‘+ 2), Loren (73’)
