Messi goes on another one of his trademark runs, cutting through three defenders on the right to come into the box - but Mandi pulls off a heroic slide to deny him a chance to shoot.
90' +2
L. Digne gets yellow.
Yellow card Lucas Digne
Digne gets a booking for clattering a Betis player to the ground on the edge of their box. A free-kick that takes the pressure off the visitors for a moment.
90'
Three additional minutes at Camp Nou as Messi again attempts to leather the ball just inside the box, only to meet a wall of white and green.
88'
Fabian races onto a loose ball just to the left of centre of the edge of the penalty area - but his shot flies above Ter Stegen without really worrying him.
87'
L. Digne enters the game and replaces Jordi Alba.
Substitution Jordi Alba Ramos Lucas Digne
Feddal clears with a header - and nearly catches the boot of Umtiti's attempted overhead kick in the process. Brave move from the Betis defender there.
84'
Rakitic twists and turns around in midfield to fool Tosca - but Vidal can't quite escape the same defender and Betis push Barcelona back to their own half.
82'
Denis Suárez enters the game and replaces Paco Alcácer.
Substitution Francisco Alcácer García Denis Suárez Fernández
81'
Messi hits the woodwork for the third time tonight! A great left footer from sixteen yards out or so bounces back off the left post. He almost hits it again with a header from Rakitic's corner - but pushes it wide.
80'
Alba loses the ball on an attack down the left wing for Barcelona - but he cuts back and reclaims in a swift move seconds later. Nicely done from the defender.
78'
Fabián Ruiz enters the game and replaces Camarasa.
Camarassa is subbed after suffering cramp, with Fabian taking his place as we approach the last ten minutes or so.
Minute
Description
77'
Mandi makes a great slide in the penalty area to deny a cross from Semedo to Alcacer, and Betis sweep the ball away from their goal-line
76'
Betis clear out and Barcelona opt to play it back to Ter Stegen - who has had what could be called a quiet night - and the home side begin their attack again.
75'
Vidal makes a great run down the centre-right of field, but can't quite hook the ball over Adan and the keeper makes a great stop. Corner for Barcelona.
73'
Semedo plays the ball through to Vidal and then gets it back as Barcelona chase it around the midfield. They eventually push up the middle - but the finish goes awry and Betis survive once more.
72'
Aleix Vidal enters the game and replaces Deulofeu.
Francis enters the game and replaces Nahuel Leiva.
Substitution Matías Nahuel Leiva Esquivel Francisco Javier Guerrero Martín
Close again for Messi, who from the right corner of the eighteen-yard box, aims for the top left corner with a free kick and just misses. Vidal replaces Deulofeu.
69'
Leiva is suddenly gifted a loose pass by Roberto twenty yards out in front of goal - but the Betis man fails to convert his chance and puts the ball high and far to the right.
68'
Javi García enters the game and replaces J. Narváez.
Substitution Juan José Narváez Solarte Francisco Javier García Fernández
67'
Barcelona play it down their left flank again, before shifting it back into their midfield with Rakitic,, who plays it off to Deulofeu. He crosses for Messi - who can't quite take it in - and Adan eventually gets to the ball to defuse the danger.
65'
Deulefeo appeals for a penalty after a goal-kick is given on the back of a great sliding tackle to deny the Barcelona player a chance of a shot from ten yards out on the left.
63'
Nahuel Leiva gets yellow.
Yellow card Matías Nahuel Leiva Esquivel
62'
Leiva booked now for a reckless challenge.
60'
Not quick enough for Messi though, who hits the woodwork from the inside left of the box after a great run. He earns a corner too but Betis clear - for now.
59'
Messi canters at the defence once more - sharp, fast, - and again can't quite slip between them. The Betis back four has become looser - but is still reforming quickly enough.
57'
Messi gets a great line from Busquets and tries to thread his way between four defenders before losing the ball on the left edge of the box.
55'
Joaquin gets a free-kick for Betis forty yards out and lobs it into the box - Deulofeu is able to sweep it away from danger though, and breaks down the right in a counter that fizzles out.
54'
Betis pinged for offside as Leon runs onto a Guardado through ball, foiling another chance for the visitors. They're starting to look a bit more assured going forward now.
52'
Jordi Alba gets yellow.
Yellow card Jordi Alba Ramos
51'
Betis earn a free-kick on their right flank, as Leiva is clattered late by Alba. Betis play it up down that side, but are forced to pull it back as Barcelona shore up their defence.
49'
It's played low by the home side - and Betis quickly dislodge them of the ball and breathe easy for a moment.
48'
Deulofeu tries to turn a ball in for Messi, but Tosca manages to push it out. Corner now for Barca...
46'
Betis get us back underway at Camp Nou and are forced on the defensive again, with Feddal being forced to make a pair of quick tackles across the edge of the six-yard box.
43'
With two quick goals against them, Betis have changed their plan - their back four are no longer hanging back, with Barragan indeed moving up in attack alongside the midfield. Rakitic intercepts a poor pass though and Barcelona simply play it around to midfield.
41'
What a purple patch for the hosts. In between those two goals, Betis went close too, with Leon making it into the Barcelona box - only for a superb Mascherano tackle to deny him. What play from the Catalan club.
39'
Sergi Roberto has scored a goal for Barcelona! Assist by Deulofeu.
Assist Gerard Deulofeu Lázaro
Goal Sergi Roberto Carnicer
You wait ages for a goal, and then two turn up at once! Deulefeo turns another break into gold dust, twisting in from the right side of the box to feed Roberto, who simply buries it into the top of the net as Adan goes the wrong way.
36'
A. Toșca is unfortunate, scores an own goal!
Barcelona finally break the deadlock! Basquets makes a break from fifty yards out down the middle, plays across to Messi, who puts it to Deulofeu on the right of the box. The Spaniard turns in a shot - and it comes off the foot of Tosca to flick into the back of the neck.
35'
Messi hits the post! The Barca man's free-kick comes off the right post and goes out for a corner off the rebound - but Betis earn a free-kick to relieve the pressure.
33'
Messi drops deep, to try and help out the midfield, and combines with Rakitic to put Deulofeu close. He can't get it away but Busquets then earns Barcelona a free kick just outside the box.
31'
Betis get back into dangerous territory in the Barcelona half again - but Leiva can't quite manage to get a shot off and the home side clear up quickly.
29'
Leon makes it into the Barcelona box and has a sniff of the first chance for Betis - but Umtiti manages to pinch the ball and get it out of danger.
27'
Barragan plays a clever passing play rather than clearing haphazardly after taking the ball from Roberto on the edge of the Betis box. The defence in green and white are playing a short passing game - and it's limiting Barcelona so far.
25'
Close for Messi! The striker pulls it narrowly wide on the left after being fed a beauty of a ball by Busquets.
24'
Back-to-back free kicks for Betis allow them to broach the opposite half - but then are forced to back-pedal at double speed as Mascherano intercepts.
22'
Umtiti plays it around the back a bit among the rest of the Barcelona defense but the home side can't really get through a firmed-up Betis defence. Strong, clever football from the visitors - even with only 33% possession.
20'
Betis break into Barcelona's half on a good counter-attack, but they miscue a through-ball and it goes out for a throw on their right.
18'
Deulofeu comes onto a through ball into the penalty area but he can't get the shot away - and nor can Rakitic either. Betis throwing bodies into the way of the ball right now - their back four is starting to creak a little.
16'
The home side play around their midfield again, with Semedo flicking it around the centre. Barcelona are caught offside as they break down the left now though.
14'
Barcelona earn another free-kick after Messi is clipped on the left edge of the penalty box. His shot is dangerous - it dips, but not enough to slip under the bar of the goal, landing on the roof of the net instead.
12'
Messi whips a free-kick in from the right thirty yards out after a foul on Busquets, but Camarassa clears with cool composure.
11'
The Betis defence so far is mostly solid - their back four is hanging back in a firm holding pattern and so far frustrating the home side. Mandi curls his body around a through ball looking for Messi into the box and gets it away.
9'
Now Mandi concedes a free-kick after catching Alcacer round the back on the cusp of halfway. Barcelona flick it out wide to the right but are unable to make anything decent of it.
7'
Roberto pushes it down the left edge for Barcelona again, but Betis are able to counter before recieving a free-kick for a clumsy challenge on Leiva.
5'
Messi chances his luck from the edge of the penalty area on the right after Rakitic is unable to breach the Betis defence. This is a Barcelona side low on confidence right now - but Betis will need to push to get the better of them still.
3'
Barcelona are content to simply play around the ball in midfield over these opening few minutes, gently probing. Deulofeu gets the first chance of the night after a lovely flat pass from Roberto falls to him on the right of the box - but he scuffs it wide.
1'
And we're underway here, after an well-observed moment of reflection. Barcelona get us started and head straight down their left flank, pushing into the Betis half - the home side are playing from left to right.
Ernesto Valverde – closing in on his third full month in charge of the club he won the Copa del Rey with as a player in 1990 – has had his hands full since taking the reins from former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique in late May. The 53-year-old has overseen the most expensive football transfer in history, with the departure of Neymar to PSG for a sum in the region of £200m. In comparison, they’ve spent less than £80m on four new faces – including former Spurs man Paulinho, who arrives from GZ Evergrande for a cool £36m to shore up midfield options.
Opposition manager Quique Setién – also taking charge of a new team here, having joined in July – can count ex-Barcelona winger Cristian Tello alongside his recruits for the season, with Montpellier attacking midfielder Ryad Boudebouz arguably the biggest name amongst them. Betis – who stuttered to a fifteenth-placed finish last season – have arguably also lost their best player too, with twenty-year-old Dani Ceballos snapped up by Real Madrid for a shade over £15m. Can this new-look side assembled by Setién do the business for the Seville-based side? We’ll find out soon enough.
One transfer saga that has rumbled on over pre-season has been Barcelona’s ongoing pursuit of Liverpool’s playmaker Philippe Coutinho, much to the latter club’s chagrin. The Brazilian signed a five-year-deal with the Reds in January of this year, with no release clause – but it hasn’t deterred the Catalan side, who had their third offer – of an eye-watering £113m – turned down on Friday. Barcelona have allegedly said that they will withdraw the offer tonight unless Liverpool reconsider – but Jurgen Klopp’s team are adamant that he will be going nowhere.
Line-ups are in too…
BARCELONA (4-3-3): Ter Stegen, Mascherano, Alba, Umtiti, Semedo, Rakitic, Busquets, Roberto, Messi, Alcacer, Deulofeu
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Barcelona's opening LaLiga contest of the season against Real Betis at Camp Nou. Barca are looking to rebound from a heavy defeat in to fierce rivals Real Madrid in the Supercopa de Espana and will be honouring the victims of Thursday's attack in Catalonia that left 14 people dead.
So four new faces start tonight for the visitors - less than perhaps could have been expected with the overhaul of the Betis squad. As for the home side, just the two summer signings are in the starting XI - Semedo and Deulofeu.
Both teams are heading out now - Barcelona in their home strip of blue and maroon, Real Betis in their green and white. There will be a minute's silence before we begin, in memory of those who lost their lives on Thursday night.
The whistle goes on the stroke of forty-five minutes and it's half-time at Camp Nou. Real Betis could feel that the scoreline is an unfair reflection of their efforts - and they'd be right, having played a clever defensive game against one of the best attacks in the world. Still, a Tosca own goal and one for Roberto mean that it's a long way back in the second half. Half-time in LaLiga, it's Barcelona 2-0 Real Betis.
And there goes the full time whistle! Three times Lionel Messi hit the woodwork tonight, and three times he was denied. But two first-half scores - one an own goal from Tosca, another for Roberto - means that Barcelona get their LaLiga campaign for 2017/18 underway with three points against a valiant Real Betis side.
On a week marked by tragic events in their city, Barcelone delivered a performance to get behind, in a game that united fans from both sides of the divide. For the hosts, they travel to Alves next Saturday - who they turned over 3-1 in the Copa del Rey final three months ago. As for Real Betis, they play their first home game of the season against Celta Vigo on Friday, with both teams still looking to get off the mark then. Until then however, thank you for joining us - and have a great night!
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