Flick sent off for protesting penalty in Barcelona draw and Real Madrid closes on leader

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his side's third goal in Girona, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

BARCELONA, Spain -

Coach Hansi Flick was sent off for protesting a penalty decision and Barcelona was held at Real Betis to 2-2 in La Liga on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé helped Real Madrid close on the leaders.

Flick showed his frustration over a decision to send Betis to the spot, but he also said after the match that his youthful team, which included two 17-year-old starters, must improve.

“We are a young team and we need to improve a lot,” Flick said. “We must be stronger, especially when we play away. We have quality, but we have to show it in every game.”

Flick disagreed with the referee’s decision to grant a penalty following a video review when Betis forward Vitor Roque fell in the area following a brush with Frenkie de Jong.

Giovani Lo Celso converted the 66th-minute penalty to level the score after Robert Lewandowski put the visitors ahead in the 38th with his league-leading 16th goal.

Substitute Ferran Torres scored from a pass by Lamine Yamal to put Barcelona back in front in the 82nd, but Assane Diao struck in injury time to secure the draw for Betis.

Barcelona has dropped points in four of the last five rounds. Its latest slip in Seville let Madrid close to within two points with a game still to play after it rolled to a 3-0 win at Girona.

Flick said he was surprised by the referee’s decision to expel him, but refused to criticize his sending off or the penalty decision that came after the ref viewed video replays.

“I said nothing really to anyone, it was a reaction for myself,” the former Bayern Munich boss said about his alleged protest. “I am really disappointed about (the sending off) because that has never happened to me, but maybe here (in Spain) it is like this.”

Real Madrid's Arda Guler is congratulated by Jude Bellingham in Girona, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Bellingham leads Madrid win

Bellingham rifled in a loose ball for the 36th-minute opener and extended his scoring streak to five rounds. He then set up Arda Guler to double Madrid's lead in the 55th when he threaded a long ball through Girona's defense.

About five minutes later the England midfielder asked to be substituted for an apparent left-thigh injury, although coach Carlo Ancelotti said he was “fine” and left the game for precaution.

Mbappé capped the victory with a goal from a tight angle, helping him rebound from his failure to score a penalty in a loss at Athletic Bilbao midweek.

Madrid lost left back Ferland Mendy to an apparent leg issue as well. Madrid was already missing defenders Éder Militao and Dani Carvajal to serious leg injuries, and coach Carlo Ancelotti said David Alaba won't be fit to play until January.

Madrid visits Atalanta on Tuesday in the Champions League, where it has lost three of five matches.

Barcelona's head coach Hansi Flick in Seville, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)

Barcelona's first slump

After outscoring opponents 29-5 during a run of seven straight wins that included big victories over Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, Barcelona has hit its first dip in form since Flick’s arrival last summer. The skid over the past month includes its first home loss to the modest Las Palmas in over 50 years and wasting a 2-0 lead in a draw at Celta Vigo.

Barcelona bounced back with a 5-1 win at Mallorca this week, but the draw at Betis may be the most worrying setback for Flick yet. His team could have lost if it wasn’t for the goalkeeping of Iñaki Peña, who among his saves turned back a powerful point blank strike by Chimy Ávila.

Flick said his team played poorly and its only “good play” in the first half was the pass by Jules Koundé that set up Lewandowski. His remedy was for his team to speed up its passing game and reduce the number of long balls that Flick said were not his team's strength.

Flick also defended substituting Lewandowski, Raphinha, Pedri, and Dani Olmo — the team's best attacking players along with Yamal — for the need to rest them ahead of Barcelona's Champions League game at Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.

Yamal put Barcelona back in charge after he threaded the ball through the Betis backline for Torres to score. That was the 17-year-old’s league-leading ninth assist.

Diao, however, unleashed the celebrations in Benito Villamarin Stadium when he used the inside of his right leg to redirect a cross by Aitor Rubial just inside the far post of Peña’s net.

“We are disappointed because we missed a chance to get a win by conceding a late goal,” Koundé said. “We let them take the game to us.”

Manuel Pellegrini’s team remained in 11th place after ending a run of seven consecutive home losses to Barcelona.

Betis' Giovani Lo Celso celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal in Seville, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)

Isco returns for Betis

Isco Alarcon returned to the field for the first time since the Betis midfielder broke a bone in his left fibula in May. The former Real Madrid playmaker played the final minutes as a substitute.

Valencia hears jeers

Valencia's disgruntled supporters jeered their team after a 1-0 loss to Rayo Vallecano left it in the relegation zone.

Las Palmas also beat last-placed Valladolid 2-1.