SUB: Samuel Umtiti 6. Natural central defender who came on for Busquets after 77. AFP
BARCELONA RATINGS: Marc-Andre ter Stegen 6. Couldn’t do much as Borja side-footed a cross past him from six yards out. Conceded two, but made decent saves in an enjoyable game as Barça made it six league wins in a row to move up to joint second with Real Madrid. EPA
Oscar Mingueza 6. Had first Barça shot of the night - in the second half - but had been way up field as Betis countered on the left to go ahead after 38 minutes. Reuters
Ronald Araujo NA. Impressive this season at centre defence, but went down in agony after eight minutes after spraining an ankle. He’ll undergo tests on Monday. A shame. EPA
Clement Lenglet 6. Started ahead of Umtiti who’d struggled midweek. Barça are waiting for Gerard Pique to return. Lenglet missed a sitter when he had a free header after 28 minutes - he tried to head the ball into the corner but headed well wide. A starter last season, his stock had dropped this. EPA
Jordi Alba 7. Like his team, he came to life when Messi came on and crossed Messi’s superb ball towards Griezmann. Best Barça defender. AFP
Sergio Busquets 7. Tried to cover for out of position Mingueza for Betis’ opening goal. Out jumped by Victor Ruiz (who’d scored an own goal) for Betis’ 74th minute equaliser, but so much of Barça’s play still goes through the 32-year-old. EPA
Miralem Pjanic 5. Struggled to find space to attack in the first half. Over hit a pass for Alba and the television camera cut to Messi’s pained expression in the stand. Brought off after 57 minutes. Best thing he did was nearly get a shot on target. EPA
Riqui Puig 5. Uncustomary advanced pressing role and often the most forward Barça player. Quick feet but almost no effect on the game as Barça faltered in the first half. AFP
Ousmane Dembele 7. Lively if ineffective, but came alive when Messi came on and set him up to equalise. Had a 65th minute one-on-one chance to put his team ahead which was saved. Booked. Reuters
Martin Braithwaite 6. The first Barça player to come off for tactical reasons at half time, a striker who doesn’t strike. Works hard but looks shorn of Barça class. EPA
Antoine Griezmann 7. Got little against a Betis team who’d been unbeaten in nine, but while he couldn’t connect properly with Alba’s cross, he pushed the ball against Ruiz who put the ball in his own net to make it 2-1. Awkward collision with a pitch side camera. EPA
SUB: Frenkie De Jong 7. Barça’s most used player this season, he thought he might be rested but was brought on to play in an uncustomary defensive role after 10 minutes – despite other central defenders on the bench. Booked. Moved forward when Umtiti came on. AFP
SUB: Pedri 7. Rested after midweek Copa del Rey heroics when Barça were 2-0 down v Granada after 88 minutes but won in extra time. Busy against Betis with twice as many touches as the man he replaced, Braithwaite. EPA
SUB: Lionel Messi 9. On for Puig after 56. Took two minutes 22 seconds to finish a ball from Dembele with a left foot shot just inside the near post. You do not give Messi that time to shoot so close to goal. Extraordinary through ball to Alba before Barça’s second. Reuters
SUB: Francisco Trincao 7. Amazing winner after 86 minutes – his first goal in La Liga. He won the ball and curled a left foot shot which went in off the crossbar. Reuters
SUB: Samuel Umtiti 6. Natural central defender who came on for Busquets after 77. AFP
BARCELONA RATINGS: Marc-Andre ter Stegen 6. Couldn’t do much as Borja side-footed a cross past him from six yards out. Conceded two, but made decent saves in an enjoyable game as Barça made it six league wins in a row to move up to joint second with Real Madrid. EPA
Oscar Mingueza 6. Had first Barça shot of the night - in the second half - but had been way up field as Betis countered on the left to go ahead after 38 minutes. Reuters
Ronald Araujo NA. Impressive this season at centre defence, but went down in agony after eight minutes after spraining an ankle. He’ll undergo tests on Monday. A shame. EPA
Clement Lenglet 6. Started ahead of Umtiti who’d struggled midweek. Barça are waiting for Gerard Pique to return. Lenglet missed a sitter when he had a free header after 28 minutes - he tried to head the ball into the corner but headed well wide. A starter last season, his stock had dropped this. EPA
Jordi Alba 7. Like his team, he came to life when Messi came on and crossed Messi’s superb ball towards Griezmann. Best Barça defender. AFP
Sergio Busquets 7. Tried to cover for out of position Mingueza for Betis’ opening goal. Out jumped by Victor Ruiz (who’d scored an own goal) for Betis’ 74th minute equaliser, but so much of Barça’s play still goes through the 32-year-old. EPA
Miralem Pjanic 5. Struggled to find space to attack in the first half. Over hit a pass for Alba and the television camera cut to Messi’s pained expression in the stand. Brought off after 57 minutes. Best thing he did was nearly get a shot on target. EPA
Riqui Puig 5. Uncustomary advanced pressing role and often the most forward Barça player. Quick feet but almost no effect on the game as Barça faltered in the first half. AFP
Ousmane Dembele 7. Lively if ineffective, but came alive when Messi came on and set him up to equalise. Had a 65th minute one-on-one chance to put his team ahead which was saved. Booked. Reuters
Martin Braithwaite 6. The first Barça player to come off for tactical reasons at half time, a striker who doesn’t strike. Works hard but looks shorn of Barça class. EPA
Antoine Griezmann 7. Got little against a Betis team who’d been unbeaten in nine, but while he couldn’t connect properly with Alba’s cross, he pushed the ball against Ruiz who put the ball in his own net to make it 2-1. Awkward collision with a pitch side camera. EPA
SUB: Frenkie De Jong 7. Barça’s most used player this season, he thought he might be rested but was brought on to play in an uncustomary defensive role after 10 minutes – despite other central defenders on the bench. Booked. Moved forward when Umtiti came on. AFP
SUB: Pedri 7. Rested after midweek Copa del Rey heroics when Barça were 2-0 down v Granada after 88 minutes but won in extra time. Busy against Betis with twice as many touches as the man he replaced, Braithwaite. EPA
SUB: Lionel Messi 9. On for Puig after 56. Took two minutes 22 seconds to finish a ball from Dembele with a left foot shot just inside the near post. You do not give Messi that time to shoot so close to goal. Extraordinary through ball to Alba before Barça’s second. Reuters
SUB: Francisco Trincao 7. Amazing winner after 86 minutes – his first goal in La Liga. He won the ball and curled a left foot shot which went in off the crossbar. Reuters
SUB: Samuel Umtiti 6. Natural central defender who came on for Busquets after 77. AFP
