Lewandowski on target as Barcelona extend La Liga lead over Real Madrid

Polish striker back from ban in tense win at Real Betis

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  Robert Lewandowski celebrates after scoring Barcelona's second goal in the 2-1 La Liga win against Real Betis at Estadio Benito Villamarin on February 1, 2023. Getty

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  Robert Lewandowski celebrates after scoring. Getty

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  Robert Lewandowski celebrates with teammate Pedri. Getty

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  Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates with Pedri after scoring the first goal. Getty

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  Raphinha celebrates with Pedri after scoring. Getty

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  Barcelona's Brazilian forward Raphinha celebrates. AFP

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  Barcelona's Gavi, left, fights for the ball with Betis' Aitor Ruibal. AP

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  Barcelona coach Xavi during the match. Reuters

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  Barca's Frenkie de Jong runs with the ball. Getty

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  Betis goalkeeper Rui Silva makes a save from Barcelona's Pedri. AP

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  Barca's Robert Lewandowski takes a shot. Getty

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  Robert Lewandowski climbs above Aitor Ruibal. AP

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  Barca defender Jules Kounde scores an own goal in the final minutes. EPA

Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha scored the goals as Barcelona moved eight points clear at the top of La Liga with a 2-1 win at Real Betis on Wednesday.

The Catalans put pressure on second-placed Real Madrid, who host Valencia on Thursday, by scraping a narrow win from an intense clash at the Benito Villamarin.

With French winger Ousmane Dembele out injured for the next few weeks, Raphinha grabbed his chance to make a mark.

Dembele's superb form had limited the Brazilian's minutes since his move from Leeds United last summer.

Raphinha put Barcelona ahead in the 65th minute and Lewandowski, back after a three-match league ban, netted the second with 10 minutes to go.

Jules Kounde scored an unfortunate own goal to give Betis a fighting chance of a point in the final stages but Barcelona held out for the win.

“I think we had a good game, our play was very good, excellent I would say,” Barca coach Xavi Hernandez told Movistar.

“We played a great game at a very difficult place to come. I'm very happy not just for the result but for how we played, we've improved a lot from the Girona game.”

Barcelona had won their previous three league games 1-0, including against Catalan rivals Girona last weekend in a flat performance, but were operating on a higher level in Seville.

Betis started well in front of their boisterous support, with Alejandro Balde doing well to block Luiz Henrique's effort in the opening exchanges.

At the other end Lewandowski headed wide, while Pedri could not find a finish when racing through on goal.

Raphinha had a goal ruled out for a clear offside and Kounde flung himself in the way of Sergio Canales's strike.

Betis goalkeeper Rui Silva denied Pedri either side of half-time as the Spain international tried to continue his own goalscoring form after netting the winner in Girona.

Raphinha appealed unsuccessfully for a penalty after a tangle with Abner Vinicius in the area, but the Brazilian's complaints soon turned to celebrations.

Frenkie de Jong cleverly fed Balde from a quick free-kick and the young left-back slid a ball across the face of goal for Raphinha to tap home.

“It's about attitude, competitiveness, desire, faith, our hopes are huge,” said Xavi when asked about De Jong's quick thinking.

“We are at a good moment with this, we have confidence and the morale to achieve success. That matters, too, it's about competing well.”

La Liga's top scorer Lewandowski's return was largely a frustrating one for the striker, having a shot blocked after Sergio Busquets set him up, while his touch was unusually clumsy.

However the Polish international finished clinically after Ronald Araujo headed down, netting his 14th league goal of the season and 23rd across all competitions.

Substitute Ansu Fati headed wide from another fine Balde cross, before Kounde accidentally chested a ball into his own net past the outstretched arm of Marc-Andre ter Stegen.