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…Held at Betis after late Diao strike
…Robert Lewandowski hits his 16th league goal of the season

LaLiga leaders Barcelona had to settle for a 2-2 draw at Real Betis after substitute Assane Diao scored a stoppage-time equaliser on Saturday to give Manuel Pellegrini cause to celebrate in his 500th LaLiga game as a manager.

The visitors, who have a provisional five-point lead at the top, opened the scoring in the 39th minute through a flowing move orchestrated by Lamine Yamal and neatly finished by Robert Lewandowski for his 16th league goal of the season.

Betis showed more intent after the break and Giovani Lo Celso levelled with a spot kick but teenager Yamal’s brilliance again shone through as he threaded a well-disguised ball to substitute Ferran Torres who scored in the 82nd minute.

Barcelona looked on course for a win at the Benito Villamarin Stadium but Diao’s 94th-minute backheel flick ensured the hosts earned a share of the points.

Barca have 38 points from 17 matches but second-placed Real Madrid, who have 33 with two games in hand, can narrow the gap to two points if they win at Girona later on Saturday.

“We weren’t able to finish things off in the second half, to put the result beyond doubt. But we now look forward to the next game, there’s no time,” said Barcelona’s Ferran Torres, who got their second after Robert Lewandowski had put them 1-0 up.

The visitors created a number of chances early on and Lamine Yamal, making just his second start after a four-week absence with an ankle injury, was mostly in the thick of the action.

The 17-year-old caused numerous problems for Betis in the first half with his silky footwork and inventive passing.

Barca opened the scoring in the 39th minute through a flowing move orchestrated by Yamal and neatly finished by Lewandowski for his 16th league goal of the season.

Betis showed more intent after the break as Sergi Altimira and Abde Ezzalzouli sent headers just wide before the hosts’ pressure was rewarded with a penalty in the 68th minute.

Frenkie De Jong clattered into Barca loanee Vitor Roque and the spot kick was given after a VAR review, with visiting coach Hansi Flick being sent off for his vociferous protests.

Giovani Lo Celso stepped up to convert and level the match, but Barcelona regained the lead in the 82nd minute as Yamal’s brilliance once again shone through, with his well-disguised through ball finding its way to Torres who scored.

However, there was one final twist in a thrilling contest, and Pellegrini’s substitutions paid dividends as two of them combined for the equaliser, with Aitor Ruibal’s dangerous cross flicked into the net by Diao with a cheeky backheel.

“Well, I think we deserved at least a draw,” Diao said. “We defended and attacked as a team. We went for the three points. We couldn’t get that, but we deserved a draw.”

Betis, who remain 11th, will be glad to have snapped a two-game losing streak but they have not won a LaLiga match since October.

“In terms of performance, we needed it,” Pellegrini said. “I think the team has to regain confidence with today’s performance, and hopefully build up to three points.”