Real Betis 0-2 Barcelona: Rakitic and Suarez seal triumph... eventually

So it's as you were at the top of La Liga. Real Madrid won, Atletico won and then Barcelona won, just like last week. Nobody is giving an inch in a title race that will surely go down to the wire.

Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez did the damage as Barcelona struggled to beat Real Betis, eventually leaving the Benito Villamarin with the three points and first place back in their posession.

Lionel Messi set up both goals as the Blaugrana sweated, with Suarez's second meaning the front MSN front three have now beaten their tally for last season, with 123 against 2014-15's 122.

It was hard going against a battling and durable Betis side, but thanks to Heiko Westermann's red card in the first half, for two deserved yellow card infringements, things weren't as tough as they might have been.

Javier Mascherano was forced to stick his head in the way of a powerful Ruben Castro drive early on, as Betis were on top in the opening stages. Then Claudio Bravo was forced to tip Bruno's header over the bar as the hosts pressured Barcelona.

There was plenty of action, but most of it was made by the referee. His card was flashing in and out of his pocket - by the end there had been seven yellow cards and Westermann's red. Despite already being on a yellow card for wrestling with Messi, he raked down Rakitic and was dismissed by Mateu Lahoz.

Neymar had an effort tipped wide by Adan and also nodded off-target himself from a corner. He improved in the second half though, even if he couldn't find the net.

One through ball for Suarez should have been put away, but the striker fired wide, while another dribble resulted in the Uruguayan having a chance, but his threat was snuffed out.

Barcelona took the lead early in the second half in comical fashion, with Messi's perfect scooped through-ball being misjudged by both defender and goalkeeper, with Rakitic gleefully running onto the loose ball and tapping home. 

Suarez missed another huge chance when played in by Messi, but the same combination unlocked Betis as we entered the game's final stretch. Messi walked around in midfield before lazily playing though a laser-guided through-ball for Suarez to fire past Adan and seal the win.

Two games to go. Barcelona are stumbling, not strolling, but two more games is doable.