Flick sent off for protesting penalty in Barcelona draw and Real Madrid closes on leader

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Coach Hansi Flick was despatched off for protesting a penalty determination and Barcelona was held at Actual Betis to 2-2 in La Liga on Saturday.

In the meantime, Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé helped Actual Madrid shut on the leaders.

Flick confirmed his frustration over a choice to ship Betis to the spot, however he additionally stated after the match that his youthful staff, which included two 17-year-old starters, should enhance.

“We’re a younger staff and we have to enhance lots,” Flick stated. “We have to be stronger, particularly once we play away. Now we have high quality, however we’ve got to indicate it in each sport.”

Flick disagreed with the referee’s determination to grant a penalty following a video evaluate when Betis ahead Vitor Roque fell within the space following a brush with Frenkie de Jong.

Giovani Lo Celso transformed the 66th-minute penalty to degree the rating after Robert Lewandowski put the guests forward within the thirty eighth along with his league-leading sixteenth aim.

Substitute Ferran Torres scored from a cross by Lamine Yamal to place Barcelona again in entrance within the 82nd, however Assane Diao struck in harm time to safe the draw for Betis.

Barcelona has dropped factors in 4 of the final 5 rounds. Its newest slip in Seville let Madrid near inside two factors with a sport nonetheless to play after it rolled to a 3-0 win at Girona.

Flick stated he was shocked by the referee’s determination to expel him, however refused to criticize his sending off or the penalty determination that got here after the ref considered video replays.

“I stated nothing actually to anybody, it was a response for myself,” the previous Bayern Munich boss stated about his alleged protest. “I’m actually disillusioned about (the sending off) as a result of that has by no means occurred to me, however possibly right here (in Spain) it’s like this.”

Bellingham leads Madrid win

Bellingham rifled in a free ball for the Thirty sixth-minute opener and prolonged his scoring streak to 5 rounds. He then arrange Arda Guler to double Madrid’s lead within the fifty fifth when he threaded an extended ball by Girona’s protection.

About 5 minutes later the England midfielder requested to be substituted for an obvious left-thigh harm, though coach Carlo Ancelotti stated he was “high-quality” and left the sport for precaution.

Mbappé capped the victory with a aim from a good angle, serving to him rebound from his failure to attain a penalty in a loss at Athletic Bilbao midweek.

Madrid misplaced left again Ferland Mendy to an obvious leg concern as effectively. Madrid was already lacking defenders Éder Militao and Dani Carvajal to severe leg accidents, and coach Carlo Ancelotti stated David Alaba gained’t be match to play till January.

Madrid visits Atalanta on Tuesday within the Champions League, the place it has misplaced three of 5 matches.

Barcelona’s first hunch

After outscoring opponents 29-5 throughout a run of seven straight wins that included large victories over Actual Madrid and Bayern Munich, Barcelona has hit its first dip in kind since Flick’s arrival final summer season. The skid over the previous month contains its first house loss to the modest Las Palmas in over 50 years and losing a 2-0 lead in a draw at Celta Vigo.

Barcelona bounced again with a 5-1 win at Mallorca this week, however the draw at Betis could be the most worrying setback for Flick but. His staff may have misplaced if it wasn’t for the goalkeeping of Iñaki Peña, who amongst his saves turned again a robust level clean strike by Chimy Ávila.

Flick stated his staff performed poorly and its solely “good play” within the first half was the cross by Jules Koundé that arrange Lewandowski. His treatment was for his staff to hurry up its passing sport and scale back the variety of lengthy balls that Flick stated weren’t his staff’s energy.

Flick additionally defended substituting Lewandowski, Raphinha, Pedri, and Dani Olmo — the staff’s finest attacking gamers together with Yamal — for the necessity to relaxation them forward of Barcelona’s Champions League sport at Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.

Yamal put Barcelona again in cost after he threaded the ball by the Betis backline for Torres to attain. That was the 17-year-old’s league-leading ninth help.

Diao, nonetheless, unleashed the celebrations in Benito Villamarin Stadium when he used the within of his proper leg to redirect a cross by Aitor Rubial simply contained in the far submit of Peña’s web.

“We’re disillusioned as a result of we missed an opportunity to get a win by conceding a late aim,” Koundé stated. “We allow them to take the sport to us.”

Manuel Pellegrini’s staff remained in eleventh place after ending a run of seven consecutive house losses to Barcelona.

Isco returns for Betis

Isco Alarcon returned to the sector for the primary time because the Betis midfielder broke a bone in his left fibula in Could. The previous Actual Madrid playmaker performed the ultimate minutes as an alternative.

Valencia hears jeers

Valencia’s disgruntled supporters jeered their staff after a 1-0 loss to Rayo Vallecano left it within the relegation zone.

Las Palmas additionally beat last-placed Valladolid 2-1.

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