Betis: Adán; Piccini, Mandi, Pezzella, Tosca, Durmisi; Petros (Rafa Navarro 86’), Rubén Pardo (Ryan Donk 69’), Dani Ceballos; Alex Alegría (Nahuel 85’), Rubén Castro. 5-3-2.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Aleix Vidal, Piqué, Mathieu, Digne (Jordi Alba 68’); Denis Suárez (André Gomes 59’), Rakitic, Arda Turan (Sergi Roberto 68’); Messi, Luis Suárez, Neymar. 4-3-3.
Goals:
1-0. 75. Alex Alegría. Turned shot past Ter Stegen after keeper pushed out corner.
1-1. 90. Luis Suárez. Collected Messi pass and rolled shot past Adán in off post.
Yellow cards: Piqué 43’, Petros 57’, Rakitic 70’, Rubén Castro 78’, André Gomes 78’.
Barcelona are up to second despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Betis in the Sunday mid-day kick-off, Sevilla’s defeat at Espanyol meaning that Luis Enrique’s side move above the Andalusians on goal difference. Dani Ceballos brought a couple of good saves out of Ter Stegen in the first half, and Adán had to keep out Neymar before the break. After the interval Ter Stegen tipped another effort from Ceballos on to the bar, and soon afterwards Rubén Castro fired a shot against the upright. With a quarter of an hour to go Alex Alegría put the locals ahead after the keeper could only push out a Durmisi corner, and Rubén Castro could have scored a second had Ter Stegen not kept him out when free on goal. The visitors felt hard done by though when the referee disallowed a goal after Mandi cleared the ball from well over the line after a deflection off Jordi Alba and Durmisi, and with the game coming to an end Messi set up Luis Suárez for a last minute equalizer.