Barcelona drops more points as Flick sees red
LaLiga leader Barcelona continued its sticky run of form with a 2-2 draw away to Real Betis in LaLiga, having conceded a stoppage-time equaliser from Assane Diao to drop two points after boss Hansi Flick was shown a red card.
Diao's goal gave Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini something to celebrate in his 500th LaLiga match as manager, and opens the door for second-placed Real Madrid, which is five points behind Barcelona with two games in hand.
Hansi Flick's side opened the scoring in the 39th minute with a neat attacking move that was created by Lamine Yamal and finished by Robert Lewandowski.
Betis came into the contest more in the second half and were able to level things through a Giovani Lo Celso penalty after a VAR check that incensed Flick so much he was sent to the stands by the referee.
But Yamal once again thwarted the hosts by setting up substitute Ferran Torres to score in the 82nd minute.
Barcelona had looked on course to extend its lead at the top of the table before Diao's cheeky backheel flick meant that the points would be shared.
The draw means that Barcelona has now won just one of its past five league games.
Flick demanded Barcelona show its quality on a more consistent basis after this latest stumble.
"It wasn't a good game. We are a young team and we need to improve a lot," Flick said.
"We must be stronger, especially when we play away. We have quality, but we have to show it in every game. We could have played better.
"But we've been slow in passing, with a lot of long balls... it's not what we want and not our strength. We have to focus on our strengths and what we have to do."
Flick also pleaded his innocence after receiving his red card as VAR stepped in to punish Frenkie De Jong's tackle on Vitor Roque for the Betis penalty.
However, Flick is not planning on appealing the red card.
"Marcus [Sorg], my assistant, did a good job. We scored a goal with him on the sidelines," Flick said.
"I didn't say anything to anyone, it was just my reaction. It took a long time to decide if it was a penalty or not.
"If you need so much time, it can be a doubt. I don't agree with my sending off. It has never happened to me before. I got angry at myself, not at anyone else."
Barcelona next travels to Germany for a UEFA Champions League meeting with Borussia Dortmund, before hosting Leganes in LaLiga on 16 December (AEDT).
