Betis 2 - Barcelona 1

Betis: Prats; Filipescu, Juanito (Belenguer 88'), Rivas, Luis Fernández; Ito, Benjamín; Joaquín (Varela 65'), Capi, Denilson (Cañas 80'); Dani. 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona: Bonano; Reiziger, Puyol, Frank De Boer, Coco (Gerard 79'); Luis Enrique (Xavi 60'), Cocu, Motta; Rivaldo (Overmars 71'); Kluivert, Saviola. 4-3-1-2.

Team changes: Betis: No change / Barcelona: Bonano, Coco for Reina, Gerard.

Goals:
1-0. 03. Dani. Got ahead of Reiziger to turn Joaquín cross past Bonano
1-1. 53. Ito (own goal). Headed corner from right past his own keeper.
2-1. 77. Dani. Pulled down long ball from Benjamín and shot under Bonano.

Betis kept up their challenge for a place in the Champions League with an important victory over direct rivals Barcelona. The Andalucians came in to the match as the only undefeated team in the second half of the season, and manager Juande Ramos named an unchanged side for the third match in a row. They were up against an inconsistent Barcelona team who have been blowing hot and cold all season, and Rexach decided to stick to the same block of players who scored five against Málaga the week before, with Cocu coming back in lace of Gerard and, more surprisingly, Bonano taking over in goal from Reina. The Argentine international lost his place to the under-21 international at the end of last year, but after much pressure from the local press the manager decided to make the change.

Bonano had only been on the pitch though for three minutes when he let in his first goal, B team youngster Dani getting ahead of Reiziger to turn Joaquín's cross wide of the keeper. With a goal in the bag the home side sat back, giving up possession in the middle of the field and waiting for the opponents to come at them. The Catalan giants did just that but only Rivaldo caused any problems for Toni Prats, who saved comfortably from him a couple of times before the break. Around ten minutes into to the second half though Luis Fernández was forced to clear an effort off the line from the Brazilian forward, turning the ball away for a corner. Rivaldo took the kick, and with Luis Enrique trying to deflect the ball with his hand, Ito was put off enough to head past Prats into his own net.

A few minutes later Rivaldo had to leave the field with a knee injury, and Overmars came on to try and find space down the left wing. However it was Betis who struck next, Benjamín producing a good run through the middle before sending a pinpoint pass to Dani for him to control the ball and beat Bonano with a low shot for his second of the night and his fourth of the season. Once again Reiziger was criticised for failing to cut out the through ball, and Rexach's ploy of playing him out of position in the centre of defence to allow Puyol to mark Denilson had not come off. There was no way back this time, and Betis leapfrog over their opponents to take third place, pushing Barcelona down to fifth. The Sevilla based side have now gone ten games without defeat, and could end the seasons with a Champions League place in their first year back in the top flight.