Barça hasn't been able to beat Betis at Montjuïc, with the fatigue of recent dates being very noticeable. It was a complicated match, in which Hansi Flick's team took control of the game... but couldn't prevail.
It was considered a key duel, especially after Real Madrid's unexpected stumble, potentially opening a gap in LaLiga. Despite this, everything ended in a 1-1 draw.
Barça feels fatigue against Betis: Too many matches
We are in overloaded calendar dates, in which Barça, playing for everything, has to play every three days. This is what's happening and what Hansi Flick's pupils are noticing, who have suffered from exhaustion against Betis.
Uncharacteristic errors, inaccurate passes... it wasn't possible to overcome the green-and-white club, which took advantage of a defensive mistake.
The truth is that everything seemed to go well for Barça early on, opening the scoring in the first minutes through Gavi. The Andalusian, who played as a child at Betis, didn't want to celebrate it, although he later celebrated with Hansi Flick. "This is yours," he reportedly told the coach, thanking him for the treatment since his arrival.
Despite this, the joy didn't last long for Barcelona. Minutes later, in a corner and through a marking error by Ronald Araújo, Natan tied the score. The Uruguayan has been highly criticized in sports broadcasts for this mistake, especially on COPE.
Paco González, director of Tiempo de Juego, didn't hold back: "He neither jumps nor looks at the ball in Natan's goal. He lowers his head, and he's the tall center-back..."
La Liga remains red hot
Barça has drawn with Betis and Real Madrid has lost to Valencia. This means that, with eight rounds left to play, the gap between the first and second place in LaLiga is four points.
It's by no means insurmountable. However, the truth is that the culers depend on themselves to win, also having a Clásico just around the corner at Montjuïc.
This draw in the Barça-Betis match hasn't been the most desired result, but the reality is that with so much physical load and so many matches, one had to 'fall'. The Catalans are already thinking about their duel next Wednesday in Barcelona, hosting Dortmund in the Champions League quarter-finals. Let's hope for a better outcome.