FC Barcelona missed a crucial opportunity to take a commanding six-point lead at the top of La Liga as they were held to a 1-1 draw by a resilient Real Betis side at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Saturday evening. The result leaves them just four points ahead of arch-rivals Real Madrid, who earlier stumbled to a 2-1 loss against Valencia.

This was a golden opportunity for Barcelona under new manager Hansi Flick, who has brought renewed discipline and attacking intent to the squad since taking over from Xavi Hernández in May 2024. But despite a dominant performance in terms of possession and chances, the Catalans were left frustrated.

Barça got off to the perfect start. In just the 7th minute, Ferran Torres threaded a sharp ball into the path of Gavi, who struck early with a composed finish to give the hosts the lead. It was a confident and dynamic opening, characteristic of Flick’s philosophy: press high, transition fast, and capitalize early.

But Real Betis, never a team to be taken lightly, responded just 10 minutes later. A perfectly weighted corner from Giovani Lo Celso found Natan, who rose unmarked and powered a header past Marc-André ter Stegen. The equalizer stunned the home side and shifted the tempo of the match.

Barcelona continued to control the game with over 70% possession and 18 attempts on goal, but they were continually thwarted by a standout performance from Betis goalkeeper Adrián, who denied shots from Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski, and Pedri in key moments.

Frustration grew in the closing stages as Barça pushed for a winner, but a lack of precision in the final third and inspired Betis defending kept the scoreline locked at 1-1. The draw marked only the sixth time this season that Barcelona have dropped points at home—a blow, given the context of Madrid’s earlier loss.

Speaking after the match, Gavi, who was named player of the match, didn’t hide his disappointment:

“We had the game in our hands. A win would have given us more room at the top. We created enough chances but lacked sharpness. It’s frustrating.”

The result sees Barcelona move to 67 points, four ahead of Real Madrid with eight matches left in the season. Meanwhile, Real Betis leap into fifth place, bolstering their bid for European qualification.

With a Champions League quarterfinal clash against Borussia Dortmund on the horizon, Hansi Flick will need to lift his side and ensure this missed chance doesn’t snowball into a slump.

For now, the title race remains finely poised. Barça are ahead, but far from safe.