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Barcelona coach Hansi Flick hailed Lamine Yamal as the best player in the world as his dominant side routed 10-man Real Betis 5-2 on Saturday to return five points clear at the top of La Liga.
Atletico, second, snatched a late 1-0 win at Espanyol, while third-placed Betis are eight points adrift of the leaders and Real Madrid, fourth, host Sevilla on Sunday.
Teenage winger Yamal scored a brilliant goal for Spanish champions Barca, with Rodri, Gabriel Jesus, Eric Garcia and Dani Olmo also finding the net at La Cartuja stadium in Seville.
Betis had Facundo Bernal sent off for a headbutt on Yamal early in the second half of a pulsating clash.
Barca set a new club record for victories at the start of a league campaign and equalled the all-time record of nine, set by Real Madrid in the 1968/69 season. Flick’s side boast 11 wins from 11 games across all competitions.
Yamal, who is hoping to be crowned the world’s best player at the Ballon d’Or ceremony later in October, got the ball rolling with a spectacular opener.
“I think it was an amazing match for the fans, and all the people who love football, it was amazing,” Flick told reporters.
“Lamine today, when you see the first goal he scored, unbelievable, this is for me, at the moment the best player in the world.”
Yamal, 19, turned sharply on the edge of the box to escape Bernal and then exquisitely curled into the top corner in the 10th minute.
“(It was) an incredible goal, we’ve got used to him doing this lately, I have to say,” Rodri told DAZN.
“In the end, players like that make the difference. But I try to focus on the other things he brings… (like) hard work, a lot of solidarity with the team, understanding the game and where he could find space.”
Despite their irresistible attacking play, Barca’s clear weakness under Flick has been their defence and Betis were level before the half-hour mark through a Valentin Gomez header.
Former Manchester City midfielder Rodri put Barca back in front with a header from a corner, before Giovani Lo Celso thought he had equalised in spectacular fashion for the hosts.
However, the Argentine midfielder’s long-range goal was ruled out for a handball by Cucho Hernandez earlier in the move, much to Betis’ chagrin.
Wild spell
Jesus extended Barca’s lead six minutes into the second half from Yamal’s cut-back, moments after having another goal ruled out for offside.
Ez Abde immediately pulled one back for Betis during a wild spell, and in the aftermath they were reduced to 10 men when Bernal was sent off for a headbutt on Yamal, who was booked for his part in a confrontation between several players from both sides.
Garcia finished from close range for Barca’s fourth and Raphinha came off the bench after missing the previous two matches injured, with Flick taking off Yamal to prevent a potential suspension for the Clasico next weekend.
“With this result, we have to change him,” said Flick. “I (told him) I’m very proud of him because he played a fantastic game.”
Substitute Olmo finished the match off with a neat finish from the edge of the box as Betis backed off to allow Barca’s attention to turn to Europe, where they face Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.
Earlier, Alex Baena struck in the 89th minute to snatch Atletico Madrid their narrow win at Espanyol.
Spain international Baena smashed home from the edge of the box to claim the Rojiblancos an important late victory from a tight game in Cornella.
Atletico have won six consecutive games across all competitions.
Baena, who struggled last season but has been in fine fettle since winning the World Cup with Spain this summer, hugged coach Diego Simeone after finding the net.
“The World Cup took him to a different place, he sees football differently than others and (now) he’s more confident and stronger, he’s the player we went looking for,” Simeone told reporters after Baena’s fifth league goal of the campaign.