Barcelona ward off their pursuers to stay top with two left to play

Full strength

While Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid had fielded changed sides for their earlier games, Barcelona were at full strength in the Benito Villamarin, but they were forced onto the back foot in the opening exchanges as Betis took the game to their visitors.

Neymar opening

Neymar carved Barça’s clearest opening of the first half only to fire straight at Antonio Adan as Betis’s well-organised defence successfully held the leaders at bay.

Westermann red

The game was thrown open when Heiko Westermann picked up a second yellow after a challenge on Rakitic and was sent off in the 35th minute to leave his side playing the rest of the game with 10 men.

GOAAAALLLLL! Rakitic puts Barça ahead at Betis!! #fcblive #BetisFCB pic.twitter.com/i5ItFZotlB

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 30, 2016

 

Rakitic strikes

Barcelona started the second half with greater urgency. Messi threaded a ball through for Luis Suarez, only for the Uruguayan to miscue his shot with only Adan to beat. Soon after the break-through came. Messi lobbed a ball into the area spying the run of Ivan Rakitic. Adan and a defender both went for the ball, missed it, and the Croatian was left free to slip the ball into the empty net.

Luis Suarez again

Messi then set up his second goal of the game for Luis Suarez with eight minutes to go. The Uruguayan took his chance to score and move on to 35 goals at the top of the goal-scorers chart, with his ninth in the last three games. It was Messi’s 15th assist and put him level with Suarez at the top of the assist-providers table. Barcelona moved back into first place in the Liga BBVA standings with two games left to play.