Barça outplays Betis thanks to sensational performance by Lamine Yamal, while Atlético wins with last-minute goal

With three days to go before their visit to Paris Saint-Germain and one week before El Clásico against Real Madrid, Barcelona struggled but ultimately defeated Betis (5-2) this Saturday in Seville with a stunning early goal from the unstoppable Lamine Yamal.

The Azulgranas secured their ninth victory in as many matchdays of the Spanish league, bringing their total to 11 wins for a team that has known nothing but victory in this first stretch of the season.

At the start of a decisive week, the reigning two-time Spanish champions emerged victorious from a thrilling battle at La Cartuja Stadium thanks to another gem from Lamine Yamal (10').

The Spanish prodigy also provided the decisive assist in the second half for Brazilian Gabriel Jesus (52'). Rodri (41'), with two headers, Eric García (63'), and Dani Olmo (81') sealed the victory for the league leaders.

Betis (3rd, 19 points) tied the score twice through Argentine Valentín Gómez (27', 1-1) and former Barcelona player Abde Ezzalzouli (53', 3-2), before finishing the match with 10 men after Uruguayan Facundo Bernal was sent off for headbutting Yamal following an altercation (54').

Argentine Giovani Lo Celso thought he had tied the game at the end of the first half with a beautiful half-volley, but his goal was disallowed due to a handball by Colombian Juan Camilo "Cucho" Hernández at the start of the play (43').

Barça (1st, 27 points) will arrive at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday as the only team in Europe to have won its first 11 matches in all competitions.

In addition, they currently hold a nine-point lead over Real Madrid (4th, 18 points), which hosts Sevilla FC (5th, 14 points) on Sunday.

This is the first time in history that the Azulgranas have won their first nine La Liga matches.

"Lately we've conceded avoidable goals, and I think we can improve in that area. But we played a great game, demonstrating the enormous potential of this team," said Rodri, who scored his first goal in a Barcelona jersey.

Álex Baena saves Atlético

Earlier, a spectacular goal by Álex Baena with just one minute remaining in regulation time secured the victory for Atlético Madrid in their away match against Espanyol (1-0).

With this win, the team coached by Argentine Diego Simeone moves into second place in the standings, five points behind Barcelona.

Given the tight schedule, "El Cholo" decided to rest several of his regular starters, including Spanish World Cup champions Baena, Álex Grimaldo and Marcos Llorente, as well as Argentine forward Julián Álvarez.

All of them entered the game in the second half, and the move paid off for Simeone, whose team scored the game's only goal in one of the final plays of the match, when Baena capped off a counterattack with a right-footed shot that found the inside of the opponent's near post.

"He's a player who can create a lot of danger and is in very good form," Simeone said of Baena, who has already scored five goals so far this season.

Baena, signed from Villarreal, didn't perform as expected last season, but his performance at the World Cup — where he was a starter on Luis de la Fuente's title-winning team — has given him a lot of confidence and a new status.

"He sees the game differently from the others and now has more confidence and is stronger," said Cholo.

Both teams hit the woodwork once in the first half, but overall, the Rojiblancos deserved the win more, although Espanyol came close to equalizing in stoppage time.

Atleti's Slovenian goalkeeper, Jan Oblak, stopped a shot by Pol Lozano.

With information from AFP.