Barcelona preserved their unblemished record at the summit of La Liga on Saturday night, claiming an emphatic 5-2 victory over 10-man Real Betis at the Estadio de La Cartuja. An early long-range strike by Lamine Yamal set the tone for the Catalan side, who capitalised on a chaotic second half and a straight red card for Betis midfielder Facundo Bernal to equal the league's all-time record for consecutive wins to begin a season. Vinicius Red Card: Real Madrid Star Issues Apology To Teammates and Fans; El Clasico Status in Doubt.

Barcelona Win 5-2

Perfect record intact. 💯 https://t.co/ahG2157NSl

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 17, 2026

Yamal opener sets competitive tempo

Barcelona asserted early control and broke the deadlock in the 10th minute. Collecting the ball outside the penalty area, Yamal cut inside and delivered a curling left-footed strike into the top corner beyond Álvaro Valles.

Betis reorganised quickly and tested Barcelona’s high defensive line. Their persistence paid off in the 27th minute when defender Valentín Gómez capitalised on a lapse in the visitor's marking to turn in an equaliser.

The parity proved short-lived. Four minutes prior to the break, Barcelona restored their advantage through Rodri, who rose unmarked to head in a Fermín López corner. Betis thought they had levelled again on the stroke of half-time through Giovani Lo Celso, but the goal was ruled out following a VAR review for an earlier handball by Cucho Hernández.

Red card tilts second-half momentum

The match ignited shortly after the restart. In the 51st minute, Yamal turned provider, sliding an incisive low ball across the penalty area for Gabriel Jesus to finish from close range.

Betis responded two minutes later. Former Barcelona winger Abde Ezzalzouli dribbled past Jules Koundé and slotted past goalkeeper Joan García to reduce the deficit to 3-2.

The home side’s recovery efforts were derailed moments later in the 54th minute. Following an altercation near the touchline, Betis midfielder Facundo Bernal was shown a straight red card for a headbutt directed at Yamal, who was cautioned with a yellow card for his role in the fracas. Real Madrid Manager Jose Mourinho Criticises ‘Shameless’ Timing of Vinicius Junior La Liga Ban.

Down to 10 men, Manuel Pellegrini's side struggled to absorb sustained pressure. Substitute defender Eric García restored Barcelona’s two-goal cushion in the 62nd minute by finishing from close quarters following a set piece. Dani Olmo then sealed the victory in the 81st minute, drilling a powerful strike from distance into the bottom corner.

Historical milestone ahead of El Clásico

The result marks Barcelona’s ninth consecutive league victory of the campaign, moving them to 27 points from nine matches. With this victory, the Blaugrana matched the record established by Real Madrid in the 1968–69 season for the best start to a La Liga campaign. Having accumulated 39 goals across their opening nine fixtures, Hansi Flick’s side enter next weekend's El Clásico at the Camp Nou with an opportunity to claim the outright record against their title rivals.