La Liga: Barcelona’s Foot Is on the Gas

Real Betis vs Barcelona

Barcelona aim to tighten their grip at the top of the La Liga table on Saturday when they head down to Seville to take on fifth placed Real Betis.

The Blaugrana moved four points clear at the top of the Primera Division thanks to a 3-1 victory over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, and second placed Real Madrid have a difficult trip away to Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday night. Barca seem to be over their blip, certainly in their domestic league endeavours and head coach Hansi Flick has the ability, and the burning desire, to lead the Catalans to back to back titles.

But a trip away to Betis is never easy, and Los Verdiblancos’ wily head coach Manuel Pellegrini will set a serious challenge for the champions. His team has picked up eight points from the last four games and has cemented its place in the European spots, currently fifth on 24 points.       

 

Talking Points

Derby boost for battling Betis 

Los Verdiblancos beat Sevilla last week and they did so in a febrile atmosphere in one of the most competitive derbies in European football. Goals from Pablo Fornals and Sergi Altimira were enough for Betis to beat their fierce rivals; but they had to wait for 15 minutes to collect the points, after the referee took the players off the pitch when trouble erupted in the stands. With 87 minutes gone and Pellegrini’s men two goals to the good Sevilla had a corner, at which point some fans began throwing objects at Betis keeper Alvaro Valles. The visiting defenders tried to clear the area but the referee took control of the situation by halting the game.

Betis’ suspended star Antony probably didn’t help the situation by goading the home fans, but eventually the game re-started and Los Verdiblancos collected a welcome three points…and the city bragging rights.

Pellegrini may choose to recall Antony, but he will be without experienced campaigners Hector Bellerin, Giovani Lo Celso, Isco and Sofyan Amrabat for this next high octane challenge.

 

Raphinha is hitting the heights again   

Barcelona’s six point clash with Atletico Madrid was the La Liga match of the week, and it certainly delivered as the Blaugrana delivered a consummate performance to beat Los Rojiblancos who came into the game on the back of a seven match winning run. After the game, Atleti manager Diego Simeone said the performance of Barca winger Raphinha was ‘incredible’ after the Brazilian tormented his normally tight defence. Simeone insisted Raphinha was unlucky to miss out on the 2025 Ballon D’Or and the way he dismantled Los Rojiblancos with some ease, the 28 year old looks to be in the form of his life.

Barca went behind early in the game as Atleti winger Alex Baena executed a wonderful chip and, in a moment worthy of a big La Liga 2025 news headline, Robert Lewandowski blasted a penalty way over the crossbar. But Raphinha levelled and second half goals from Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres completed the comeback in front of an ecstatic Camp Nou crowd.

Olmo suffered a shoulder injury during the game and he’ll be missing for a few weeks, but Flick is hopeful that midfield ace Frenkie de Jong will be available after he missed the match with Atletico due to illness.  

 

History

Barcelona have won 29 of their last 45 meetings with Betis in all competitions, with Los Verdiblancos winning just six and there have been ten draws. Last season, while Barca slapped Pellegrini’s men 5-1 in the Copa del Rey, both Primera Division matches ended in a draw, 2-2 at the Estadio Benito Villamarin as Betis bagged a late equaliser against ten man Barca. Prior to that disappointment, the Catalans had won seven consecutive matches away to Real Betis.

Recent form has been very strong in both camps; Betis have won four and drawn two of the last six games while Barcelona have won four, drawn one and lost one, both setbacks in the Champions League.    

 

Betting Tip

The La Liga 2025 betting odds have swung back towards Barcelona over the past couple of weeks and another win in Seville will put Flick’s men firmly in charge of the title race.

Los Verdiblancos are in good form, but then so were Atletico Madrid when they met the Catalans last week and, while the draw is priced at 4.00 and a home win is at 3.80, I’m backing an away victory; and a 2-1 win to Barca, at SBOTOP odds of 8.25, looks to be a good long shot alternative.

   

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