La Liga 2017/18: Barcelona 2-0 Real Betis - 5 Talking Points

Barcelona bounced back from their Supercopa de Espana defeat to Real Madrid with a 2-0 home win against Real Betis, to start their La Liga season on a high. Lionel Messi was in the mood but has nothing to show for hit as he registered 10 plus shots during the game, while also hitting the woodwork on three occasions.

Ernesto Valverde's side took the lead through Gerard Deulofeu's deflected pass/shot which was intended for Messi but hit Tosca on the way into the back of the net. The Blaugrana doubled their lead soon after as Sergi Roberto stabbed one into the back of the net from close range to net his first ever La Liga goal.

It was not the best of atmospheres at the Camp Nou, with attendance only in the range of 56K as against to the normal figure of 90K plus. This was due to the recent terrorist attack in Barcelona, with the Catalan outfit wearing shirts with Barcelona written on the back instead of their names.

Here are the 5 talking points from Barcelona's 2-0 win over Real Betis:

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#1 Sergio Busquets and Sergi Roberto impressed:

Can Barcelona be Andres Iniesta's long term successor?

Sergio Busquets has often been criticized in recent times for Barcelona's shortcomings in midfield and rightly so, but the Spaniard did well to break down Real Betis' attacks and played a big part in ensuring Marc Andre ter Stegen kept the clean sheet.

The 28-year-old helped recycle possession as Barcelona patiently probed the Betis defence for openings, his timing of challenge was also spot on.

Sergi Roberto was another who impressed during the game, the Spaniard played the most advanced of the three midfielders, sometimes, even ahead of Lionel Messi, not one known for his tricks, the Spaniard troubled the Betis defence with his running and also capped off his impressive display with his first ever La Liga goal.

Barcelona are looking hard to find a replacement for Andres Iniesta, they might just have one in their ranks, if Roberto is trusted in this position.

#2 Real Betis' profligacy cost them

Real Betis will rue their poor finishing

Real Betis were second best for most of the match but Quique Setien's side did have the chances to cause an unlikely upset. If not for the poor finishing and decision making by Sergio Leon and company, the away side could have at least tested Ter Stegen.

The away side didn't have the best of games in the attacking third of Barcelona, having failed to register any shots on target, while only managing two off target. There was that glorious chance when Leon was through on goal but Mascherano put in a crunching tackle from behind inside the box to rob him off the ball.

The Andalusian side will have to improve their finishing if they are to finish higher than the 15th they managed last season.

#3 Gerard Deulofeu with a La Liga return to remember

There is hope, after all

Much has been said about Barcelona's apparent decline following the unbelievable transfer of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain. Ernesto Valverde's side were humiliated in the two legs by Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid but they recovered from it with a comfortable win tonight, courtesy of Gerard Deulofeu's heroics in his first La Liga game since his return to Camp Nou earlier in the summer.

The former Everton man tried to find the run of Messi inside the box with a drilled cross which took a deflection of Tosca on its way into the back of the net. It was not it, the Spaniard then was used his pace to get to the byline before crossing it for Roberto to net Barcelona's second. He deserved the standing ovation he received from the Camp Nou faithful when he was withdrawn towards the end of the game.

#4 Messi has it all to do and he looks up for the challenge

Lionel Messi will not be bullied into stopping

Following the departure of Neymar, the creative onus was destined to fall back on Lionel Messi. However, the injury to Luis Suarez was unexpected and dealt a further blow to the Barcelona's ambitions for this season.

Messi started the game alongside Paco Alcacer and Gerard Deulofeu as his partners and took over the creative mantle while also showing a hunger for goals, which many said has been missing from his game for a long while.

The diminutive Argentine registered more than 10 shots, with 3 of them rattling the crossbar, while also going very close with a couple of the rest. Starting the game on the right, the 5-time Ballon d'Or winner drifted to the false nine position he made famous under Pep Guardiola and tried to force things from the deep.

Even though Deulofeu impressed and was responsible for the two goals, it was Messi who was once again Barcelona's best player and on another day could have had a hat-trick. How Barcelona end the transfer window remains to be seen but one thing is for sure Messi knows he has to do it all alone and he surely looks to be up for it.

#5 We are all Barcelona

#TotSomBarcelona

The Camp Nou had an official attendance of 56,480 as against to the 99,000 that it can handle on a typical big game day. The sparse attendance was because of the terrorist attacks that took place in Barcelona a couple of days ago, resulting in the death of more than 14 people, while also injuring more than 100 others.

Barcelona had already announced that the shirts of the players will carry the name of the city instead of the player's name, as a tribute to the victims of the attack. The two teams wore black armbands while a tifo reading "No-one can ever break us" was also unfurled.

As always, football was united against an act of terrorism, while chants of "We are not afraid" reverberated around the stadium after the minute's silence.

In the end, #TotSomBarcelona - We are all Barcelona