FC Barcelona moved to the top of the LaLiga standings after thrashing Real Betis 5-0 on Saturday evening.
LaLiga
Result: Barcelona 5-0 Real Betis
Date: 16 September 2023
Venue: Camp Nou
Barca manager Xavi handed new signings Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix their first starts and recalled Ferran Torres, the last two joining Robert Lewandowski upfront, as three changes from their win over Osasuna.
The Catalan giants had a slow start and were almost punished on 16 minutes after Luiz Henrique went through on goal and fired a strike across goal that flashed just wide.
Blaugrana increased their tempo after that and Felix eventually broke the deadlock on 25 minutes with a strike in the box after he latched onto a cross by Oriol Romeu.
Lewandowski quickly doubled the lead for the hosts seven minutes later with a low strike off the post after a through ball by Andreas Christensen.
Betis did not drop their heads and were a threat going forward as Willian Jose had a big chance just before the break a lofted cross by Isco but his volley from point-blank range was kept out by goalkeeper Andre ter Stegen.
Barca were more forceful coming from the interval and after missing a couple of chances, Torres eventually put the game to bed just after the hour-mark with a well taken free-kick that curled around the wall and found the back of the net.
And that was the last touch for Torres, as he was among three players withdrawn at once by Xavi and in came the fresh legs of Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and Ilkay Gundogan.
Raphinha made an immediate impact, as he added a fourth goal for Blaugrana two minutes later with a strike across goal that found the bottom corner after he cut in from the right flank.
Barca were showing off in the closing stages, with a couple of nutmegs as Cancelo rounded off the scoring in style eight minutes before time after he turned a defender inside, out and fired a low strike across goal past the diving hands of shot-stopper Rui Silva.
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