Barcelona 1 - Betis 1

Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Zambrotta (Belletti 46'), Puyol, Thuram, Van Bronckhorst; Iniesta, Xavi, Deco; Messi (Saviola 74'), Eto'o, Ronaldinho (Edmilson 67'). 4-3-3.
Betis: Contreras; Ilic, Melli, Juanito, Isidoro; Vogel, Rivera (Marcos Assunçao 60'), Capi; Odonkor (Robert 71'), Fernando (Sobis 62'), Edu. 4-3-3.

Team changes: Barça: Deco for Edmilson / Betis: Ilic, Vogel, Odonkor, Fernando for Miguel Angel, Rivas, Marcos Assunçao, Sobis.

Goals:
1-0. 05. Ronaldinho (penalty). After Melli tripped Deco inside penalty area.
1-1. 89. Sobis. Ran on to quick Assunçao free kick and shot inside near post.

Barcelona lost top spot after they could only draw 1-1 with Betis on Sunday, the result meaning that Real Madrid move above Frank Rijkaard's side on head-to-head goal average. The Catalans were given a hard time by their fans before kick off after their disastrous midweek cup defeat at Getafe, but they seemed to have put that behind them when Ronaldinho scored from the penalty spot after Deco had been brought down by Melli with only five minutes on the clock.

After that they had several chances to increase their lead, including two or three from Eto'o, in particular a spectacular overhead kick from the striker which Contreras beat away. Messi, Xavi and Iniesta also tried their luck, but the visitors almost snatched a goal on the stroke of half time when Thuram gave the ball away to Fernando, who's shot was turned for a corner by Valdés.

Messi went close after the restart, and Eto'o had another effort saved. But Rijkaard was getting nervous, and he surprised the crowd taking off Ronaldinho to bring on Edmilson. The new man headed a corner over the top, and Xavi and Eto'o both shot wide, but the warning bells rang when Isidoro almost caught out Valdés on a quick breakaway. And with only two minutes to go, a lapse of concentration by the defence allowed Sobis to equalise from a quickly taken Assunçao free kick, rounding off an unhappy week for the Blaugrana.