PBP: La Liga Santander - Jornada 20 | Real Betis v FC Barcelona | 21 January 2018 [R]

Wow, sensational

 

Suarez brace, he and Messi better than Lennon and McCartney? So said Hudson.

 

94% passing accuracy, compared to 84% for the team. Rakitic had a great match.

 

This match seemed to show how far we've moved from being a Pep-style team right now. Possession stats almost even; passing accuracy almost the same; not one of the goals came from the opposition being pulled out of shape by tiki-taka.

 

Messi completed 12 dribbles, more than anybody in Liga in three years.

 

Great result, just made RM big win becoming meaningless

 

Thing is they smashed a team that are soon to be relegated.

 

In their and CR mind they just beat Barca with 7-1 after going down first! [emoji23]

 

high quality extended (11+ minute) highlights in English and NO Ray Hudson here, I mean he amuses me, but I know some loathe him:

 

His aura knows no limits.

 

Lost in the euphoria is that Piqué not only notched his 200th Liga victory with Barca but that he achieved it in the fewest number of matches in club history (!)

Piqué llega a las 200 victorias con el Barça en Liga en apenas 261 partidos (41 empates y 20 derrotas).

Partidos que necesitaron para llegar a 200 victorias ligueras con el Barça:
261 PIQUÉ
264 Busquets
265 Messi
288 Iniesta
298 Víctor Valdés
336 Puyol
349 Xavi

— Pedro Martin (@pedritonumeros) January 21, 2018

 

I love Ray Hudson enthusiasm and passion but he often made simple tap in goal sounds like it's a spectacular world cup winning goal.

 

Paulinho is a lucky charm for us.

 

I just hope Barca are not peaking too early. Bring on that Chelsea match now!

 

Suarez's booking in the 67th minute means he will miss the next Liga fixture, at home against Alavés.
This means he and Messi will not be able to improve on this club record they equaled. (Not at this time, anyway. )

Barça duos that have scored in FOUR consecutive Liga matches:

1973-74 Cruyff and Rexach
J12 (H) Sporting Gijón : Cruyff (1), Rexach (2)
J13 (H) Málaga : Rexach (1), Cruyff (1)
J14 (A) Real Oviedo : Cruyff (1), Rexach (1)
J15 (H) Atlético Madrid : Cruyff (1), Rexach (1)

2014-15 Messi and Neymar
J20 (A) Elche : Messi (2), Neymar (2)
J21 (H) Villarreal : Neymar (1), Messi (1)
J22 (A) Athletic Bilbao : Messi (1), Neymar (1)
J23 (H) Levante : Neymar (1), Messi (3)

2015-16 Neymar and Suárez
J10 (A) Getafe : Suárez (1), Neymar (1)
J11 (H) Villarreal : Neymar (2), Suárez (1)
J12 (A) Real Madrid : Suárez (2), Neymar (1)
J13 (H) Real Sociedad : Neymar (2), Suárez (1)

2017-18 Suárez and Messi
J17 (A) Real Madrid : Suárez (1), Messi (1)
J18 (H) Levante : Messi (1), Suárez (1)
J19 (A) Real Sociedad : Suárez (2), Messi (1)
J20 (H) Real Betis : Messi (2), Suárez (2)

 

I just noticed that Barca has already had two times two consecutive away games, but not two consecutive home games. Which means we only have 8 away games left, Sevilla being the only one from top 6 we have to visit. What a time to be alive.

Atletico has pretty tough away run ahead, Malaga, Sevilla, Barcelona, Villarreal, Real Madrid, Real Sociedad.

 

Malaga?

 

Lol didn't realize they've been that bad. Still Atletico has won there only twice the last six seasons.