Match ends, Barcelona 4, Real Betis 0.
Barcelona 4-0 Real Betis
- From the section European Football
Lionel Messi scored on his 500th Barcelona appearance as Luis Enrique's side finished a magnificent 2015 on top of the La Liga table.
Heiko Westermann's own-goal - after Neymar's controversial penalty had hit the bar - gave Barca the lead.
Messi recovered from a knock which forced him to go off for treatment to double the lead before Luis Suarez scored twice after the interval.
Barca finish 2015 with 180 goals in all competitions, a Spanish record.
They are level on points with Atletico Madrid, who won 2-0 at Rayo Vallecano, but have a game in hand over their title rivals.
Real Madrid, 3-1 winners over Real Sociedad, are two points behind in third.
Betis formed a guard of honour before kick-off as Barca walked out to have a photograph with their five trophies of 2015 - the Champions League, La Liga, Copa del Rey, Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup.
Barca took the lead when Messi was harshly judged to have been fouled by keeper Antonio Adan and, although Neymar slipped and hit the crossbar with his spot-kick, Westermann directed the rebound into the back of his own net.
Messi slid home his 425th goal for the club after 34 minutes to add to their lead.
Suarez scored twice after the break to take over from Neymar as La Liga's leading scorer with 15.
Barca were denied by the woodwork four times after the interval as they produced an attacking master-class.
They start 2016 with an away game at 13th-placed Espanyol on 2 January.
Betis lost Westermann and Bruno Gonzalez to injury, while boss Pepe Mel was sent to the stand for arguing.
Line-ups
Barcelona
- 13Bravo
- 6Alves da SilvaBooked at 77mins
- 14Mascherano
- 23Vermaelen
- 24MathieuSubstituted forCorreiaat 67'minutes
- 4Rakitic
- 5BusquetsSubstituted forBartraat 57'minutes
- 20Roberto CarnicerSubstituted forEl Haddadiat 86'minutes
- 10Messi
- 9Suárez
- 11Neymar
Substitutes
- 1ter Stegen
- 3Piqué
- 8Iniesta
- 15Bartra
- 17El Haddadi
- 18Alba
- 21Correia
Real Betis
- 13AdánBooked at 27mins
- 2Molinero
- 4González CabreraSubstituted forPezzellaat 17'minutesBooked at 68mins
- 17WestermannSubstituted forDigardat 36'minutes
- 11Vargas
- 16Cejudo
- 25dos Santos AraujoBooked at 30mins
- 18A N'Diaye
- 10Ceballos
- 9van Wolfswinkel
- 24CastroSubstituted forvan der Vaartat 75'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Giménez
- 7Sánchez Rodríguez
- 12Piccini
- 15Digard
- 20Pezzella
- 22Portillo
- 23van der Vaart
- Referee:
- Iñaki Vicandi Garrido
- Attendance:
- 81,977
Match Stats
Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamReal Betis
- Possession
- Home63%
- Away37%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away4
- Corners
- Home2
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home16
- Away20
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Barcelona 4, Real Betis 0.
Foul by Dani Alves (Barcelona).
Petros (Real Betis) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Marc Bartra (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ricky van Wolfswinkel (Real Betis).
Foul by Adriano (Barcelona).
Dani Ceballos (Real Betis) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt saved. Álvaro Cejudo (Real Betis) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Rafael van der Vaart.
Foul by Munir El Haddadi (Barcelona).
Ricky van Wolfswinkel (Real Betis) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Munir El Haddadi replaces Sergi Roberto.
Attempt missed. Rafael van der Vaart (Real Betis) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Dani Ceballos.
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 4, Real Betis 0. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Neymar.
Sergi Roberto (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Petros (Real Betis).
Attempt missed. Germán Pezzella (Real Betis) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is too high. Assisted by Ricky van Wolfswinkel with a headed pass following a corner.
Corner, Real Betis. Conceded by Dani Alves.
Sergi Roberto (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Petros (Real Betis).
Attempt missed. Ricky van Wolfswinkel (Real Betis) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Dani Ceballos.
Booking
Dani Alves (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Dani Alves (Barcelona).
Álvaro Cejudo (Real Betis) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Real Betis. Rafael van der Vaart replaces Rubén Castro.
Offside, Barcelona. Lionel Messi tries a through ball, but Ivan Rakitic is caught offside.
Lionel Messi (Barcelona) hits the bar with a left footed shot from outside the box.
Luis Suárez (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Didier Digard (Real Betis).
Attempt saved. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Neymar.
Foul by Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona).
Dani Ceballos (Real Betis) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Dani Alves (Barcelona) hits the bar with a right footed shot from the right side of the box. Assisted by Neymar with a cross.
Attempt blocked. Juan Vargas (Real Betis) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Álvaro Cejudo.
Foul by Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona).
Dani Ceballos (Real Betis) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Antonio Adán.
Attempt saved. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
Booking
Germán Pezzella (Real Betis) is shown the yellow card for hand ball.
Hand ball by Germán Pezzella (Real Betis).