Barcelona 3 - Betis 0

Barcelona: Bonano; Puyol, Christanval, Frank De Boer, Coco; Luis Enrique (Gabri 15'), Xavi (Gerard 65'), Cocu; Kluivert (Geovanni 69'); Saviola, Rivaldo. 4-3-1-2.
Betis: Prats; Varela, Belenguer, Filipescu, Mingo; Ito, Calado (Amato 46'); Joaquín (Merino 74'), Capi, Denilson; Joao Tomas (Casas 57'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Barcelona: No change / Betis: Varela, Ito, Calado for Tais, Juanito, Casas.

Goals:
1-0. 10. Saviola. First time shot after Kluivert flicked on Cocu long ball.
2-0. 50. Rivaldo. Far post header after Puyol and Saviola combined down right.
3-0. 60. Rivaldo. Took pass from Saviola and shot in off Belenguer.

Barcelona moved up to second place, within a point of Depor after a comfortable victory over Betis. Rexach named an unchanged side, with the trident of Kluivert, Saviola and Rivaldo playing together for the second time in a row. Juande Ramos put out a more defensive line up, with top scorer Gastón Casas left on the bench and Joao Tomas keeping his place up front. Barcelona opened the scoring with less than ten minutes gone, Kluivert setting up Saviola with a clever back-heel from Cocu's long pass, and only Prats saved his side from going further behind, stopping efforts from all three of the Barça front players.

A good run from Puyol down the right early in the second half set up Saviola, who found Rivaldo's head with a long cross for the second goal. The Brazilian striker made it three a few minutes later with a shot which took a deflection off Belenguer to finish things off, his fourth goal in three games. The downside for the Catalans was an injury to Luis Enrique which will keep him out of next week's derby match at Real Madrid, and with Rivaldo also missing on international duty Rexach will have to make changes. Betis substitute Casas was rushed off to hospital with a suspected broken leg after a tackle from behind by Gerard in the closing minutes.