Barcelona made it nine wins from nine in La Liga with a 5-2 victory over Real Betis at La Cartuja on Saturday. The seven-goal contest featured a brilliant Lamine Yamal opener, a red card and a late flourish from Dani Olmo.
Yamal opened the scoring in the 10th minute, cutting in from the right before curling a left-footed shot into the top corner. Betis answered through Valentín Gómez, but Rodri restored Barcelona’s lead with a header before the break, his first goal for the club.
The pace stayed high after half-time. Gabriel Jesus converted Yamal’s low pass to make it 3-1, then Ez Abde quickly pulled one back for the hosts. The match turned further when Facundo Bernal was sent off after an altercation involving Yamal. Barcelona used the extra space: Eric García scored from close range after a Yamal free kick, and Dani Olmo curled in the fifth late in the game.
Yamal’s goal and assist underlined his influence, while Barça’s attacking depth helped them pull away after Betis had threatened to make the match even closer. The visitors also had to manage a disallowed Betis goal and a lively opening spell from the home side.
Barcelona ended Saturday on 27 points, five clear of Atlético Madrid, and equalled a club-best start of nine league wins from nine. Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are next on a demanding week-long schedule.
Sources: FC Barcelona official match report and Reuters.