Assane Diao scored a 94th-minute leveller as Real Betis held Barcelona to a 2-2 draw in Saturday's La Liga clash in Seville.
A win would have moved Barcelona seven points clear at the top of the La Liga table, but their lead is instead only five points, with the reigning champions Real Madrid having two games in hand on their Clasico rivals.
Real Betis had a huge chance to take the lead in the early exchanges through Abde Ezzalzouli, who went through one-on-one with Inaki Pena, but the Barcelona goalkeeper was on hand to make a terrific save.
Both sides had chances in the period that followed, but it was Barcelona that broke the deadlock in the closing stages of the first period, with Robert Lewandowski turning a low cross from Jules Kounde into the back of the net to make it 23 goals in all competitions for the 2024-25 campaign.
Lewandowski's close-range finish was the difference between the two sides at the interval; Real Betis should have been level in the early stages of the second half, but Sergi Altimira somehow headed a Giovani Lo Celso free kick wide before Ezzalzouli brought another excellent save from Pena between the Barcelona sticks.
Real Betis were awarded a penalty when Frenkie de Jong felled Vitor Roque inside the box, with the decision being given after advice from VAR, and Lo Celso stepped up to make it 1-1 in Seville.
Barcelona were not behind for long, with the Catalan giants scoring a second in the 83rd minute through Ferran Torres, who converted from inside the box after behind found by Lamine Yamal.
Real Betis had not finished, though, with Manuel Pellegrini's side making it 2-2 in the 94th minute when Diao expertly turned a cross from Aitor Ruibal into the bottom corner to ensure that the points would be shared.
REAL BETIS VS. BARCELONA HIGHLIGHTS
Robert Lewandowski goal vs. Real Betis (39th min, Real Betis 0-1 Barcelona)
LEWY BALL DOES IT AGAIN.#BetisBarça | #LaLigaHighlights pic.twitter.com/CpWfbvt5bc
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 7, 2024
Barcelona make the breakthrough in the latter stages of the first period, and it is no surprise that the goal comes from Lewandowski, who turns a low cross from Kounde into the back of the net.
68th min: Real Betis 1-1 Barcelona (Giovani Lo Celso)
Real Betis level the scores in the 68th minute of the contest, as Lo Celso finds the back of the net from the penalty spot after De Jong is adjudged to have fouled Roque inside the box. All square heading towards the final 20 minutes!
82nd min: Real Betis 1-2 Barcelona (Ferran Torres)
Barcelona score their second in the 82nd minute of the clash, as the Spaniard converts following a pass from Yamal; it looked offside, but the goal is confirmed, and the visitors are back ahead here.
94th min: Real Betis 2-2 Barcelona (Assane Diao)
Real Betis level the scores in the final stages of this contest, with Diao turning a cross from Ruibal into the bottom corner; Barcelona simply cannot believe it - it is all square in the final moments.
MAN OF THE MATCH - LAMINE YAMAL
© Imago
Yamal's excellent pass found Torres for what looked like the winning goal on Saturday afternoon, only for Real Betis to answer back in the final moments, but Barcelona's attacker was still the best player on the pitch here.
The 17-year-old had two shots of his own, in addition to making two tackles, while he had five successful dribbles, with the outstanding young talent comfortably the standout player on the field in Seville.
REAL BETIS VS. BARCELONA MATCH STATS
Possession: Real Betis 38%-62% Barcelona
Shots: Real Betis 12-9 Barcelona
Shots on target: Real Betis 6-3 Barcelona
Corners: Real Betis 6-4 Barcelona
Fouls: Real Betis 15-14 Barcelona
BEST STATS
500 - Real Betis Balompié's Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini will manage his 500th LaLiga match (W239 D122 L138), making him the eighth coach to reach this milestone in the history of the competition and the first foreigner to do so. Engineer. pic.twitter.com/6qvVYLZso0
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) December 7, 2024
Robert Lewandowski has been involved in 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 Barcelona goals this season 🧯 pic.twitter.com/1TQIFBQl7c
— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 7, 2024
WHAT NEXT?
Barcelona will be aiming to return to winning ways when they head to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday night, before welcoming Leganes in La Liga next weekend.
Real Betis, meanwhile, will be bidding to build on the positive result when they head to Petrocub in the Conference League on Thursday evening, before visiting Villarreal in Spain's top flight next weekend.
Matt Law
