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A Juanmi winner in the 79th minute was enough for Real Betis to beat Barcelona in a La Liga game at the Camp Nou on Saturday. It was the Blaugrana's first defeat in seven games across competitions.
It was their first defeat since Xavi took over as manager roughly a month ago. Barcelona struggled to create chances throughout the game, as a well-drilled Real Betis defence compounded their woes in the final third.
Manuel Pelligrini executed his gameplan seamlessly, not allowing Barcelona too much room to operate in the Betis half. His players were patient, and looked to hit the Blaugrana on the counter-attack.
After a rather lacklustre first half, Barcelona looked an improved side in the second. The addition of Ousmane Dembele added a much-needed spark to their attack, thanks to his pace and trickery.
Despite playing just 31 minutes, he ended up having more goal attempts than any other player on the pitch. However, none of his attempts were on target. A few of his right-footed efforts were just inches away from the far post, though.
Real Betis' patience paid off in the 79th minute, as a smart run by Sergio Canales allowed Cristian Tello and Juanmi to move into the box. Canales drew two defenders towards him before cutting the ball inside to Tello. He teed up an unmarked Juanmi on his left, who made no mistake in scoring his ninth league goal of the campaign.
The defeat was Barcelona's second at home in La Liga this term, while Real Betis moved to third with three consecutive wins. On that note, here's a look at the five talking points from the game.
#5 Juanmi relishing his role under Manuel Pellegrini
Juanmi has become a key player for Real Betis this season. He rewarded Manuel Pellegrini for his faith in him by scoring nine league goals this campaign.
He has scored five goals in his last three outings, including a hat-trick against Levante. Against Barcelona, he was the best attacking player by some margin. He had three shots on goal, two of which were on target. Juanmi also provided two key passes, more than anyone on the pitch.
#4 Barcelona lacked creativity in the final third
Barcelona struggled to make inroads into the Real Betis box. Even when they had possession in good positions, they lacked the creativity to cause any real problems to Real Betis.
They had just three shots on target all game. Memphis Depay had to fall back often to help out in midfield. As a result, he was not all involved in attack, recording no shots on goal.
#3 Barcelona lacked a gameplan
Barcelona were thwarted by a solid Real Betis effort at the defensive end. Nonetheless, the Blaugrana were also let down by their own deficiencies. The hosts seem to lack a game plan; they were unorganised at the back and lacked vision in midfield.
Barcelona committed 17 fouls in the game, of which ten came in the first half, as they struggled to assert their ascendancy in the contest.
A few of the players also looked bereft of ideas on the night. Depay was not in good positions to receive the ball. Sergio Busquets tried his best to juggle defensive and passing duties.
#2 Real Betis on a good defensive run at the moment
Real Betis have enjoyed a great run in recent games, winning their last five games across competitions. They have also kept four clean sheets in this period, including one against Barcelona at Camp Nou.
Marc Bartra, a former Barcelona player, led the backline with his calm demeanour, leading the game in clearances (seven) and interceptions (five). Left-back Alex Moreno produced a good performance at both ends of the pitch, making 11 tackles throughout the game.
The result was a well-deserved win against Barcelona at the Camp Nou, their first victory at the venue since 2018.
#1 Barcelona's struggles at both ends of the pitch continue
Barcelona have kept just three clean sheets in La Liga this season, conceding 17 goals, the fifth-best defensive record in the league. Though they have scored 23 goals so far, the fifth-best attacking record in the league, it's their worst goalscoring tally at this stage of the campaign since 2003-04.
With 23 points from 15 games, they could be 16 adrift of runaway leaders Real Madrid by the end of the day. Depay's early form is gone; Pedri is injured, and there is no leader in defence.
They face Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League on Thursday, where only a win would guarantee them a place in the knockouts. If they lose and Benfica win, they'll drop down to the Europa League.
