Updated at 22.36
LA LIGA leaders Barcelona dropped two points in the title race as Real Betis twice came from behind to snatch a 2-2 draw in an entertaining battle on Saturday.
Assane Diao levelled in the 94th minute to stun Barcelona, who opened the scoring after 39 minutes through Robert Lewandowski.
After Giovani Lo Celso levelled for the hosts from the penalty spot, substitute Ferran Torres struck what seemed like the winner before Diao’s late intervention.
Real Betis started strongly, with Raphinha forced to clear Diego Llorente’s header off his own goal-line.
Former Barcelona winger Ez Abde should have sent Betis ahead moments later when played through but Inaki Pena produced a fine save to deny him.
After Betis’ early attacking flurry, Barcelona began to take control of the game.
Lamine Yamal fired off-target from Raphinha’s cross as both wingers threatened, with Betis sitting deep to try and protect themselves.
The Catalans found the breakthrough shortly before the break with a slick team move.
Pedri teed up Jules Kounde to slide across a low ball which Lewandowski stroked home from close range.
It was the 36-year-old striker’s 16th league goal of the campaign, leading the scoring charts in Spain.
Betis began the second half in the same fashion as they started the first and came millimetres from an equaliser when Sergi Altimira’s header flashed past Pena but also the far post.
Barcelona goalkeeper Pena made a fine save to thwart Chimy Avila as Manuel Pellegrini’s side held on to the initiative and eventually levelled with a penalty.
Frenkie de Jong stepped on the heel of Vitor Roque, on loan at Betis from Barca, and after a VAR review, the referee awarded the hosts a spot kick, also sending off Flick for his protests.
Lo Celso buried his penalty to set up an entertaining finale as both sides sought to claim three points.
Barcelona’s goal arrived when 17-year-old starlet Yamal crossed for Torres to turn home, although the strike was initially flagged offside.
However, a VAR review showed Aitor Ruibal was late to step up and had played Spain international Torres onside for his second goal in two games.
Barcelona thought they had sealed victory but deep in stoppage time Diao, left unmarked by Inigo Martinez, tucked home from Ruibal’s cross as the full-back made amends for his earlier error.
Elsewhere, Jude Bellingham inspired champions Real Madrid to a comfortable 3-0 victory at Girona on Saturday in La Liga, with Kylian Mbappe also on the scoresheet after two high-profile penalty misses.
Los Blancos cut the gap on league leaders Barcelona to two points with Madrid having played one fewer match.
Bellingham opened the scoring before half-time and set up Arda Guler for Madrid’s second, before Mbappe produced a clinical finish for their third.
Both Bellingham and defender Ferland Mendy were replaced with apparent knocks in the second half ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash at Atalanta.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed Bellingham would be fit for the game but said Mendy had suffered a muscular injury.
After Madrid’s fifth defeat across all competitions in midweek against Athletic Bilbao, having lost just twice last season, Ancelotti pledged his team would improve and they were significantly better against Girona.
“Bellingham scored his fifth goal running (in La Liga), Mbappe scored, Brahim (Diaz) did good work, Arda scored a great goal, as I said, bit by bit we will come back (to form),” said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti.
With Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo sidelined, Ancelotti selected Bellingham and Diaz in support of Mbappe.
The French forward has been the focus of criticism in recent weeks after blowing penalties against Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao and struggling to find the form which made him a star with Paris Saint-Germain and his country.
Girona, who ran Madrid close for the Spanish title for much of last season before eventually finishing third, started the stronger and Bryan Gil fired wide, with Donny van de Beek lashing over.
Madrid settled into the game and, keeping the hosts at arm’s length, began to create chances of their own.
Paulo Gazzaniga saved Brahim Diaz’s fierce drive from the edge of the box as the champions clicked into gear.
Bellingham broke the deadlock after 36 minutes when Diaz’s cross was blocked and the ball fell kindly to the England international, who fired home through a crowd of players.
It was Bellingham’s fifth goal in his last five La Liga games, with the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder finding the form which inspired Madrid to a Champions League and La Liga double last season.
After a quiet first half, early in the second Mbappe broke through and fired wide, although the striker had handled the ball to control it and if he had scored it would not have stood.
- Improved display -
Madrid kept pushing and Gazzaniga saved well from Aurelien Tchouameni’s header from Luka Modric’s free-kick.
Los Blancos got their second in the 55th minute when Bellingham threaded through a fine pass for Guler, who rolled the ball home.
Bellingham hobbled off after sustaining an apparent knock in a challenge before Mbappe rattled home Madrid’s third.
After Thibaut Courtois saved well from Yaser Asprilla, Madrid burst forward on the counter-attack.
Modric sprang the French forward, who finished with aplomb from a tight angle on the right side of the area, across Gazzaniga into the bottom corner.
Madrid beat Girona 3-0 at Montilivi and 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu last season and this victory was another which showed their superiority over the Catalan club.
Ancelotti will hope they can carry some momentum into the vital Champions League visit to Atalanta, for which Vinicius is expected to return from a hamstring problem.
Girona, eighth in La Liga after a poor start to the season exacerbated by a host of injuries, welcome Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday.
“If we were more accurate in front of goal it would have been different,” said Girona defender Miguel Gutierrez.
“We have to continue, we have two very important games, Liverpool in the Champions League and then at Mallorca (in La Liga).”
To win the World Cup we’ll need our best players and as good as Stewart is Sheehan is the best hooker in the world. We need some good news on both him and Conan.
@Gearóid MacEachaidh: he’s a great hooker but for me marx is the best currently… Hope he comes through, he’s a big player for Ireland in that front row….
@Gearóid MacEachaidh: agree hope he will be ok
Let’s hope it’s not too serious. Serious drop off from kelleher and sheehan to the other hookers.
@Patrick O’Sullivan: don’t think the drop is as big as you say , we’re well stocked with Herring and Stewart is no slouch
@Patrick O’Sullivan: To be honest Kelleher has looked a shadow of the player he was a two years ago. I’d back Herring and Stewart to produce performances more consistently than him at the moment.
@Eamonn Mac Lughadha: the drop off is huge. Herring and Stewart are both fine hookers but the gap is enormous. Both statements can be true.
@Andrew Martin Farrell: Can be but they’re not.
It looked to me as if Sheehan stretched his foot when he flyhacked the ball forward. I would be surprised if it turned out to be anything very serious
Hope he is ok….the guy is a phenomenon
If injuries are going to nibble away at certain areas the front row is the area we can least afford to lose players. However if Stewart had to step up to the mark I think he would relish the chance. He may not be as big as others but he has foot skills, handling skills and speed as good as any.