Barcelona’s impressive nine-game winning streak came to an end in dramatic fashion, as Real Betis held them to a pulsating 1-1 draw at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
With Real Madrid suffering a 2-1 defeat to Valencia earlier in the day, the stage was set for Hansi Flick’s side to stretch their lead at the top of LaLiga to six points.
Barcelona came charging out of the gate, brimming with intensity and intent. That early aggression paid off just seven minutes into the contest when Ferran Torres delivered a slick first-time pass into Gavi’s path.
The young midfielder made no mistake, rifling a low shot into the bottom corner.
But the hosts’ advantage was short-lived. Just ten minutes later, Natan rose highest to meet Giovani Lo Celso’s pinpoint corner, thundering a header past the goalkeeper to bring Betis level.
The equaliser spurred Barca on, and they responded with a wave of relentless pressure. Torres narrowly missed a golden opportunity, while Lamine Yamal was denied by a superb save from Adrián as the visitors dug in defensively.
The second half followed a similar script, with Barcelona dominating possession and probing for a winner.
However, Betis remained resolute, producing a gritty defensive display to snatch a vital point on the road.
