Barcelona Beat Real Betis 5-2 to Equal Real Madrid's Record Nine-Win Start to a La Liga Season
Barcelona matched Real Madrid's record for the best start to a La Liga season, beating Real Betis 5-2 away to make it nine wins from nine in the 2026/27 campaign, IANS reported on October 18. Real Madrid won their opening nine league matches in 1968/69, scoring 21 goals in the process; Hansi Flick's Barcelona have equalled that run with 39 goals scored and just nine conceded. The 2013/14 Barcelona side coached by Gerardo 'Tata' Martino won their first eight before being held to a goalless draw by Osasuna — a start the current team has now surpassed.
Betis entered the day third in the table. Lamine Yamal opened the scoring in the 10th minute, curling a left-footed shot into the corner beyond goalkeeper Álvaro Vallés. Valentín Gómez equalised with a header from Pablo Fornals' cross in the 27th minute, but Rodri headed Barcelona back in front in the 41st after Vallés misjudged a corner. A minute later, Giovani Lo Celso's volley was ruled out by VAR for a handball by Cucho Hernández in the build-up.
Yamal set up Gabriel Jesus for Barcelona's third in the 51st minute, and Abde Ezzalzouli replied for Betis two minutes later. Betis midfielder Facundo Bernal was then sent off following an altercation with Yamal, in which Bernal appeared to grab the forward by the neck before headbutting him. With a player advantage, Barcelona took control: Eric García added a fourth in the 62nd minute and Dani Olmo sealed the scoring in the 81st.
Barcelona lead the La Liga standings by five points and have won all 11 of their matches in all competitions this season, according to The World Insiders. They visit Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday before welcoming Real Madrid to Camp Nou on October 25, when a win would give them the outright record. (GSM, from IANS reporting)
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：西班牙塞维利亚拉卡图哈球场内景资料照片（本场比赛地）。照片：Valeriy Ded，Wikimedia Commons，CC BY 3.0。Photo: inside Estadio La Cartuja in Seville, Spain, the venue of the match (file photo). Photo by Valeriy Ded via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
