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Messi may come in for Koeman after the break and makes the difference for Barça

For the first time since October 1, FC Barcelona has won the full booty in a league match against Real Betis. Lionel Messi was put on the bench by trainer Ronald Koeman, but came in at halftime and left his mark on the eventual 5-2 victory.

In the opening phase, both teams were allowed to smell a lead: Marc-André ter Stegen had to act after a header from William Carvalho, while Antoine Griezmann on the other hand missed a number of dots of opportunities. A little later, Ousmane Dembélé opened the score: the Frenchman pulled in from the right, found the far corner and put the 1-0 on the boards.

After half an hour of play, Barça received a penalty, after a foul by Aïssa Mandi on Ansu Fati: Griezmann did the honors in the absence of Messi, but goalkeeper Claudio Bravo stopped his bet. To make matters worse for the Frenchman, it became 1-1 immediately after half time: Antonio Sanabria outwitted Ter Stegen from close range.

Koeman brought Messi halfway in the lines for Fati and saw his star player immediately make the difference. Griezmann was still able to take his goal after a cunning switch from Messi: 2-1. De Barcelona received his second penalty of the game after an hour of play: Mandi was red after hands on the line and Messi signed from the spot for 3-1. Loren Morón made it exciting with his 3-2, but Messi still had the last word. The Argentinian shot – after five penalties – his first ‘field goal’ of the season and lifted the lead to 4-2. Pedri delivered the final chord and made it 5-2 in ninety minutes.

Barça enters the international break with eleven points from seven games. On Saturday, November 21, the spicy squatter awaits against the Atlético Madrid of old acquaintance Luis Suárez.

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