From the very moment Hugo Duro scored the 1-2 at Bernabéu, with no time left for Real Madrid's famous heroics to appear, the Barça fan saw the league as half-won, counting on surpassing Betis in a few hours. Euphoria spread like wildfire through the streets of Barcelona, and even some firecrackers were heard with the unexpected Valencian victory at the white coliseum, assuming that a Barça in a frightening form would overpower a verdiblanco team that, moreover, couldn't count on Isco to face Flick's men. But plans don't always go as one wishes. The Barcelona team played at home, with the extra motivation of knowing that victory meant more than three points and with sky-high confidence, but even so, they weren't able to achieve the win.
The final one-to-one draw shows several things. First, that Barça is not a machine; they still have, like any team, better days and worse days. Nights when everything works by itself, and others when it's much harder to have that finesse that has kept them unbeaten in 2025. Second, that Betis is one of the most in-form teams in the championship. Without their most differential player, Pellegrini's men kept Flick's men at bay in the first half, and despite suffering to maintain the draw in the second half, they made it clear that they are a strong candidate to secure a ticket for the next Champions League. Third, that winning this league will continue to be quite a challenge because Barça's schedule is not easy, and fighting for three competitions prevents you from focusing on one in particular.
Barça didn't conquer half the league on Saturday; they squandered a golden opportunity to do so, but even things that seem negative at first glance also have their positive reading. 22 unbeaten matches are a lot, an absolute feat. And they pose a danger in that those accustomed to winning might unconsciously lower their level of intensity. Flick ensures that this isn't the case, but a setback like Saturday's helps very young players understand that each match is a different challenge from the previous one, that having won at the Metropolitano three days earlier doesn't grant you half a victory against Betis. Many members of the squad ended the match against the Andalusian team with monumental anger for not having been able to win a duel that would have put the league very much in their favor. That can be of vital importance; Barça let two points slip away and the opportunity to seal the championship, but the stumble guarantees that from now until the end of the season, there will be no relaxation.
In the next 9 days, FC Barcelona will have to seek a place in the Champions League semifinals through a double encounter that promises to be thrilling with Borussia Dortmund. They will also face a Leganés at Butarque, who are fighting for survival in every match. Not having achieved victory against Betis should serve so that in these 270 minutes, we see a Barça that gives no respite, that suffocates the opponent from minute zero and ends up overpowering them by exhaustion. Because now, after that frustrating one-to-one on Saturday, the players and Hansi Flick himself are more aware than ever of the difficulty of reaching perfection every three days. If they were already committed to the cause, that sharing of points will ensure that the accelerator is not let up from now until the end of the season. It is the clear proof that a draw, in time, can also have its positive reading.