Barcelona 4-0 Real Betis

Barcelona end 2015 with five trophies and on top of La Liga

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.

Barcelona's players lined up for a team photograph before kick-off with the five trophies the club won in 2015

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.

The incident which led to Barcelona's controversial penalty. Betis keeper Antonio Adan was adjudged to have fouled Lionel Messi

Barcelona's win was their first in three La Liga games

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Barcelona

Formation 4-3-3

13Bravo

6Alves da Silva14Mascherano23Vermaelen24Mathieu

4Rakitic5Busquets20Roberto Carnicer

10Messi9Suárez11Neymar

• 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

Formation 4-4-2

13Adán

2Molinero4González Cabrera17Westermann11Vargas

16Cejudo25dos Santos Araujo18A N'Diaye10Ceballos

9van Wolfswinkel24Castro

• 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

1. Post update

   Match ends, Barcelona 4, Real Betis 0.

2. 90'+2'

   Full Time

   Second Half ends, Barcelona 4, Real Betis 0.

3. 90'+2'

   Post update

   Foul by Dani Alves (Barcelona).

4. 90'+2'

   Post update

   Petros (Real Betis) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

5. 90'

   Post update

   Marc Bartra (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

6. 90'

   Post update

   Foul by Ricky van Wolfswinkel (Real Betis).

7. 88'

   Post update

   Foul by Adriano (Barcelona).

8. 88'

   Post update

   Dani Ceballos (Real Betis) wins a free kick on the right wing.

9. 88'

   Post update

   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.

10. 86'

    Post update

    Foul by Munir El Haddadi (Barcelona).

11. 86'

    Post update

    Ricky van Wolfswinkel (Real Betis) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

12. 86'

    Substitution

    Substitution, Barcelona. Munir El Haddadi replaces Sergi Roberto.

13. 85'

    Post update

    Attempt missed. Rafael van der Vaart (Real Betis) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Dani Ceballos.

14. 83'

    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.

15. 83'

    Post update

    Sergi Roberto (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

16. 83'

    Post update

    Foul by Petros (Real Betis).

17. 80'

    Post update

    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.

18. 80'

    Post update

    Corner, Real Betis. Conceded by Dani Alves.

19. 78'

    Post update

    Sergi Roberto (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

20. 78'

    Post update

    Foul by Petros (Real Betis).

Page 1 of 7

Navigate to the next page

Navigate to the last page