As far as the league standings were concerned, the last game of the season at Spotify Camp Nou mattered for little. But everyone knew the game presented the chance for Barça to make a little bit history. Since La Liga was expanded to 20 teams in 1987, no team had ever managed to win all 19 home fixtures.

the game as it happened

But they have now! What has been a near-perfect campaign from Hansi Flick’s side has indeed been perfect when playing in front of their own fans.

And it was also the stadium’s chance to honour one of the greatest strikers ever to wear the famous blaugrana shirt. Robert Lewandowski, who announced his departure earlier this week, and was honoured today with the captain’s armband, was moved to tears by the ovation he received on being substituted in the final minutes of the game.

Raphina once

As for the match, neither side was in desperate need of the points and the absence of urgency did show. But an interesting contest developed nevertheless, with Barça generally comfortable in possession and going forward. But Betis were by no means passive spectators and former Barça man Ez Abde found the net on 23 minutes, but there had been an offside in the build-up.

In a side that lost Ferran Torres to a muscle issue moments before kick-off, Raphinha was in the starting XI for the first time since returning from injury. And he was able to mark the moment in style.

And Raphinha twice

The Brazilian had already forced a fine save out of Álvaro Valles before he beat the Betis keeper with a cheeky free-kick on 28 minutes. Spotting the rival stopper wrong-footed and out of position, Raphinha fired into the gap and Barça were a goal to the good.

Early in the second half, he scored again. It was all thanks to a massive blunder by ex-blaugrana Hector Bellerín, who played the ball straight into the path of the Barça striker, and that was 2-0.

Betis revival Cancelo-ed out

The second goal came just as Betis were at their most threatening. But rather than subside, the Andalusians kept on battling and would eventually be thrown a lifeline when Gavi allegedly brushed Isco to the floor and a VAR review adjudged that it was worthy of a penalty.

Isco himself took and converted the spot-kick to bring the gap back down to one goal.

A Betis equaliser was very much on the cards, but the two-goal cushion was re-established with a quarter of an hour on the clock when João Cancelo struck from outside the area.

That ended the contest, but not the night. Following the final whistle, there was more to come as Robert Lewandowski, in the company of his family, was given the chance to thank the fans... ending with the words we love to hear: Visca el Barça y Visca Catalunya! 

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