Barcelona equal Real Madrid's La Liga record with 5-2 win at Betis
Hansi Flick's side made it nine straight league wins, matching Real Madrid's 1968-69 start, and can now break the record in the Clásico.
Barcelona beat Real Betis 5-2 in Seville on Saturday 17 October to win their first nine La Liga matches and equal Real Madrid's record for the best start to a league season. The nine consecutive victories match Real Madrid's opening run from the 1968-69 campaign, when Miguel Muñoz's side were eventually held 0-0 by Pontevedra on matchday 10.
The result leaves Hansi Flick's side on 27 points with a perfect 9-0-0 record, having scored 39 goals and conceded just nine. By comparison, second-placed Atletico Madrid have 22 points and only 19 goals. Barcelona now have the chance to claim the record outright when they host Real Madrid in the Clásico on Sunday 25 October at Spotify Camp Nou, in what MARCA describes as a key fixture in the La Liga title fight.
Teenager Lamine Yamal gave Barcelona the lead in the 10th minute at La Cartuja Stadium, curling a left-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area into the upper-left corner. Betis equalised in the 27th minute when Valentin Gomez headed home, but Rodri restored Barcelona's advantage shortly before half-time with a header from a left-side corner.
Six minutes after the break, Yamal crossed from the right and Gabriel Jesus converted from close range to make it 3-1, celebrating with the provider. Betis pulled a goal back two minutes later but were reduced to 10 men when Facundo Bernal was sent off for head-butting Yamal during an altercation. Garcia added a fourth for Barcelona before Olmo completed the scoring in the 81st minute.
The win extended Barcelona's flawless start and set up a mouth-watering Clásico. Before that, Flick's men visit Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday 20 October, having already won their opening two European fixtures against Feyenoord and Galatasaray. Real Madrid, fourth and nine points behind Barcelona with a game in hand, host Sevilla on Sunday and will be without Vinícius Júnior, who is serving a four-match ban and will miss the Clásico.
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Sources and context
- Barcelona eye outright La Liga record against Real Madridyahoo.com
- European football: Barcelona thrash Real Betis to maintain 100% recordThe Guardian
- Yamal stars as Barcelona ties La Liga record with ninth straight winkoreaherald.com
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