Barcelona – Real Betis: Compatriots Claim The Adulation In Catalonia (5-0)

As darkness descended on Camp Nou, the league champions lit the pitch. Two loanees dazzled on debut in a dominant display that showed how Barcelona might evolve with new qualities.

Tactical analysis and match report by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere.

Barcelona were finally back at the summit of Spanish football in May 2023, earning their first league title in four years. Xavi had returned to his roots to restore a stranglehold on power lost to the capital. Yet, at what cost has he derived success? This son of the sporting institution cannot expect goodwill to last on his behalf forever. Superfluous spending had not brought the club any closer to a conquest of the continent, and Real Madrid have sown the seeds to dethrone their rivals in the medium term.

Their showings have not sparked at the start of this season, but a favorable fixture awaited. Last year, Real Betis lost both league outings against the Catalans, giving up six and scoring just one goal, and also bowed out in the final four of the Supercopa de España. Indeed, their place in the hierarchy is at a lower level. The . . .