Barcelona 3-4 Real Betis: Leaders stunned by expert display

Lionel Messi — Barcelona's previous home league defeat came on 10 September 2016

Barcelona lost a home league match for the first time in two years as the Spanish champions were beaten by Real Betis's expert display at the Nou Camp.

Junior Firpo gave Betis a deserved lead after 20 minutes, before veteran Joaquin made it two before the break.

Lionel Messi scored a penalty in reply but a Marc-Andre ter Stegen error saw Giovani lo Celso add a third for Betis.

Arturo Vidal's tap-in gave Barca hope, but Sergio Canales got the away side's fourth, before a Messi consolation.

Ernesto Valverde's side remain at the top of La Liga, one point ahead of Sevilla, Atletico Madrid and Alaves.

The hosts had Ivan Rakitic sent off for a second yellow card with eight minutes left when trailing 3-2 and were powerless to match a determined and clinical Betis side, despite Messi's two goals on his return from a fractured arm suffered three weeks ago.

Barca's previous home league defeat came on 10 September 2016, when they lost 2-1 to Alaves.

Betis had lost on their past eight visits to the Nou Camp and had not won there for more than 20 years.

But they came away with three points that lifts them up to 12th in the table courtesy of an impressive display built on adventurous counter-attacking and smart play in possession.

Quique Setien's side went into this game having scored only eight goals in 11 matches, the lowest return in La Liga.

Here they mustered eight shots on goal to Barca's five and scored from half of those.

Ter Stegen did let a Lo Celso strike slip through his gloves immediately after Messi had scored Barca's first from the penalty spot, which slowed the home side's momentum.

But nothing should be taken away from Betis, who more than deserved this victory which keeps Barca's rivals for the title within touching distance.

Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text

Line-ups

Barcelona

Formation 4-3-3

1ter Stegen
20Roberto
3Piqué
15Lenglet
18Alba
4RakiticBooked at 81mins
5BusquetsBooked at 59minsSubstituted forAleñáat 69'minutes
8ArthurSubstituted forVidalat 45'minutesBooked at 73mins
10Messi
9Suárez
14MalcomSubstituted forEl Haddadiat 57'minutes

Substitutes

2Nélson Semedo
6D Suárez
13Cillessen
19El Haddadi
22Vidal
23Umtiti
26Aleñá

Real Betis

Formation 3-4-1-2

13López
23MandiBooked at 69mins
5Bartra
12da Silva Júnior
11TelloBooked at 67mins
18GuardadoBooked at 24mins
14William Carvalho
20Firpo
21Lo CelsoSubstituted forInuiat 87'minutes
16MorónSubstituted forLeónat 76'minutes
17Sánchez RodríguezSubstituted forCanalesat 62'minutes

Substitutes

1Robles
4Feddal
6Canales
7León
8Inui
9Sanabria
19Barragán

Referee:: Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz
Attendance:: 81,617

Match Stats

Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamReal Betis

Possession: Home54%; Away46%

Shots: Home20; Away15

Shots on Target: Home5; Away8

Corners: Home10; Away5

Fouls: Home13; Away11

Live Text

Post update
Match ends, Barcelona 3, Real Betis 4.
90'+5'
Full Time
Second Half ends, Barcelona 3, Real Betis 4.

90'+4'
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
90'+4'
Post update
VAR: Goal. Referee decision on field cancelled.
90'+4'
Post update
Delay in match (Barcelona). Video Review.
90'+2'
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 3, Real Betis 4. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Arturo Vidal.
90'+1'
Post update
Attempt missed. Gerard Piqué (Barcelona) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Munir El Haddadi with a cross following a corner.
90'+1'
Post update
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Andrés Guardado.
90'
Post update
Offside, Real Betis. Marc Bartra tries a through ball, but Sergio Canales is caught offside.
89'
Post update
Attempt missed. Gerard Piqué (Barcelona) header from very close range is too high following a corner.
88'
Post update
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Marc Bartra.
87'
Substitution
Substitution, Real Betis. Takashi Inui replaces Giovani Lo Celso.
86'
Post update
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Sidnei.
84'
Post update
Foul by Clément Lenglet (Barcelona).
84'
Post update
Sergio Canales (Real Betis) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
83'
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 2, Real Betis 4. Sergio Canales (Real Betis) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Júnior Firpo.
83'
Post update
Attempt saved. Júnior Firpo (Real Betis) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Giovani Lo Celso.
81'
Dismissal
Second yellow card to Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) for a bad foul.
81'
Post update
Foul by Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona).
81'
Post update
Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

As It Stood

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Barcelona	12	7	3	2	34	18	16	24
2	Sevilla	12	7	2	3	24	14	10	23
3	Atl Madrid	12	6	5	1	16	8	8	23
4	Alavés	12	7	2	3	17	12	5	23

5	Espanyol	12	6	3	3	16	10	6	21
6	Real Madrid	12	6	2	4	20	16	4	20

7	Real Valladolid	12	4	5	3	9	9	0	17
8	Levante	12	5	2	5	18	19	-1	17
9	Girona	12	4	5	3	13	14	-1	17
10	Real Sociedad	12	4	4	4	15	14	1	16
11	Getafe	12	4	4	4	11	10	1	16
12	Real Betis	12	4	4	4	12	15	-3	16
13	Eibar	12	4	3	5	12	18	-6	15
14	Celta Vigo	12	3	5	4	22	20	2	14
15	Valencia	12	2	8	2	8	9	-1	14
16	Villarreal	12	2	5	5	11	13	-2	11
17	Ath Bilbao	12	1	7	4	13	19	-6	10

18	Leganés	12	2	4	6	9	16	-7	10
19	Rayo Vallecano	12	1	4	7	14	25	-11	7
20	Huesca	12	1	3	8	10	25	-15	6

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Comments

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61 comments

Comment posted by jofford, at 18:50 11 Nov 2018
Good to see that La Liga is at the moment competitive. Makes it much more interesting than Ligue 1 in France where PSG are already 10 points clear and with a game in hand.
Comment posted by Adrian Paul, at 18:46 11 Nov 2018
1st home defeat for 2 years? wow
Comment posted by GALAXY, at 19:34 11 Nov 2018
I fondly remember them as Frank Spencer's team

ooooooooooooo Betis
Comment posted by agilebug, at 21:03 11 Nov 2018
HUGE victory for Betis. Absolutely deserved. What a team, betis probably displays the nicest football in europe nowadays. I recommend everyone to watch at least a game of these guys.
Comment posted by SamB, at 22:28 11 Nov 2018
And people say it's a pub league with only 2 good teams. Would like to see the 12th placed team in our league (Brighton) go to the Nou camp and get 4 goals.
Comment posted by Wee Brian, at 17:52 11 Nov 2018
Couldn’t be happier with this result
Comment posted by Jenkybeats, at 18:02 11 Nov 2018
Romario then Ronaldo then Rivaldo now Messi, always been a joy to watch.
Comment posted by agilebug, at 22:04 11 Nov 2018
You're right, betis' nice football will not lead to a league title, but as a football fan I enjoy it.
Comment posted by slayer, at 18:58 11 Nov 2018
Spanish league better than the Premier league this year.
Comment posted by RiffRaff, at 18:16 11 Nov 2018
Some very sad individuals who have commented on this article. Betis deservedly took the three points, good to see Messi back too. As for the heads of doom and hate, try and be nice, you’ll feel so much better. Hate is a complete waste of energy. FACT.
Comment posted by Ed80, at 07:04 12 Nov 2018
Nice to know, shame it's not on Sky anymore. BT Sport lost Italian football at the same time and surprise, surprise neither cut their fees. Competition is meant to benefit consumers, in my experience it lowers quality and increases the price for what you get.

People can't afford all these different packages, we need it properly regulated
Comment posted by Newyork, at 19:31 11 Nov 2018
Good to see Messi back.
Comment posted by Ian F, at 21:18 11 Nov 2018
I've said it before and I'll say it again - the quality in La Liga puts the Premiership to shame... More decent sides than the EPL, more good players in the mid- and lower-table sides.
Comment posted by Newyork, at 19:37 11 Nov 2018
Great to watch,Betis deserved their win.Great to see the great man playing again.
Comment posted by yeah-no, at 18:51 11 Nov 2018
Barca will still stroll to the title
Comment posted by Hey Mikey, at 18:03 11 Nov 2018
Oh dear, Barca lose and Rakitic gets sent off.

I bet they are petitioning for the referee to never officiate any of their games ever again.....
Comment posted by Gooner_28, at 00:17 12 Nov 2018
Big win for Betis. They played good football throughout the match and they fully deserved all the 3 points. It's always good to watch Barca & RM get a thumping!
Comment posted by U17270709, at 18:46 11 Nov 2018
Alaves are going to win La Liga!
Comment posted by roverman, at 20:49 11 Nov 2018
I knew...just knew the sheeple on here would use this result as a means of having a go at the epl...yes they lost to a midtable team but it also happens in the premiership alot. More so than la liga...some sad individuals on here who use any means necessary to put the premier league down. These results happen in every top league. Just look at man utd results and arsenal's result too..get a life
Comment posted by Emile Heskey for England Captain, at 10:19 12 Nov 2018
Just like that, suddenly the title race is way open and Madrid are only 4 points adrift of the leaders and are comfortably qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages...what crisis?

Line-ups

Barcelona

Substitutes

Real Betis

Substitutes

Match Stats

Live Text

Comments

Join the conversation

Comment posted by jofford, at 18:50 11 Nov 2018jofford

Comment posted by Adrian Paul, at 18:46 11 Nov 2018Adrian Paul

Comment posted by GALAXY, at 19:34 11 Nov 2018GALAXY

Comment posted by agilebug, at 21:03 11 Nov 2018agilebug

Comment posted by SamB, at 22:28 11 Nov 2018SamB

Comment posted by Wee Brian, at 17:52 11 Nov 2018Wee Brian

Comment posted by Jenkybeats, at 18:02 11 Nov 2018Jenkybeats

Comment posted by agilebug, at 22:04 11 Nov 2018agilebug

Comment posted by slayer, at 18:58 11 Nov 2018slayer

Comment posted by RiffRaff, at 18:16 11 Nov 2018RiffRaff

Comment posted by Ed80, at 07:04 12 Nov 2018Ed80

Comment posted by Newyork, at 19:31 11 Nov 2018Newyork

Comment posted by Ian F, at 21:18 11 Nov 2018Ian F

Comment posted by Newyork, at 19:37 11 Nov 2018Newyork

Comment posted by yeah-no, at 18:51 11 Nov 2018yeah-no

Comment posted by Hey Mikey, at 18:03 11 Nov 2018Hey Mikey

Comment posted by Gooner_28, at 00:17 12 Nov 2018Gooner_28

Comment posted by U17270709, at 18:46 11 Nov 2018U17270709

Comment posted by roverman, at 20:49 11 Nov 2018roverman

Comment posted by Emile Heskey for England Captain, at 10:19 12 Nov 2018Emile Heskey for England Captain

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Sunday 11th November 2018

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Comment posted by jofford, at 18:50 11 Nov 2018

Comment posted by Adrian Paul, at 18:46 11 Nov 2018

Comment posted by GALAXY, at 19:34 11 Nov 2018

Comment posted by agilebug, at 21:03 11 Nov 2018

Comment posted by SamB, at 22:28 11 Nov 2018

Comment posted by Wee Brian, at 17:52 11 Nov 2018

Comment posted by Jenkybeats, at 18:02 11 Nov 2018

Comment posted by agilebug, at 22:04 11 Nov 2018

Comment posted by slayer, at 18:58 11 Nov 2018

Comment posted by RiffRaff, at 18:16 11 Nov 2018

Comment posted by Ed80, at 07:04 12 Nov 2018

Comment posted by Newyork, at 19:31 11 Nov 2018

Comment posted by Ian F, at 21:18 11 Nov 2018

Comment posted by Newyork, at 19:37 11 Nov 2018

Comment posted by yeah-no, at 18:51 11 Nov 2018

Comment posted by Hey Mikey, at 18:03 11 Nov 2018

Comment posted by Gooner_28, at 00:17 12 Nov 2018

Comment posted by U17270709, at 18:46 11 Nov 2018

Comment posted by roverman, at 20:49 11 Nov 2018

Comment posted by Emile Heskey for England Captain, at 10:19 12 Nov 2018