Real Madrid's Dani Ceballos (front) competes during the Spanish La Liga football match between Real Madrid and UD Almeria in Madrid, Spain, April 29, 2023. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)
MADRID, April 29 (Xinhua) -- FC Barcelona and Real Madrid both won their respective matches in La Liga on Saturday as Barca retained their 11-point lead at the top of the table.
Andreas Christensen returned to the Barca side after injury and he scored the opening goal in the 13th minute of a game that was over before halftime after Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha had put them 3-0 up, while Betis were reduced to 10 men after Edgar was shown two yellow cards.
The central defender had come on earlier in the game after Luiz Felipe was forced out through injury.
Veteran Betis winger Joaquin Sanchez was also injured late in the second half and went off, leaving his side with just nine men with 10 minutes left to play.
A minute later, Guido Rodriguez deflected a cross from Ansu Fati into his own net to make it 4-0, before Xavi Hernandez brought 15-year-old Lamine Yamal on as a substitute, making him the youngest Barca player in this century.
Earlier in the day Karim Benzema scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid bounced back from their midweek 4-2 defeat in Girona, by defeating Almeria by the same score.
Benzema scored after 5, 17 and 42 minutes, with the impressive Rodrygo adding a fourth early in the second half.
Elche claimed just their third win of the season to stave off the confirmation of their relegation to the second division for a few more days with a 4-0 win at home to Rayo Vallecano.
Rayo had beaten league leaders Barcelona in midweek, but were down to 10 men halfway through the first half, when Florien Lejeune was shown a direct red card for a wild challenge.
Tete Morente put Elche ahead on the stroke of halftime and the bottom of the table side ran riot in the second half with goals from Lucas Boye, Fidel and Gerard Gumbau to give coach Sebastian Beccacece his first win after five consecutive defeats. ■
Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates his goal during the Spanish La Liga football match between FC Barcelona and Real Betis in Barcelona, Spain, April 29, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)
Barcelona's Raphinha (L) celebrates his goal with Ronald Araujo during the Spanish La Liga football match between FC Barcelona and Real Betis in Barcelona, Spain, April 29, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)
Barcelona's Jules Kounde (L) vies with Betis' Joaquin during the Spanish La Liga football match between FC Barcelona and Real Betis in Barcelona, Spain, April 29, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)
Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski (1st R) competes during the Spanish La Liga football match between FC Barcelona and Real Betis in Barcelona, Spain, April 29, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)
Barcelona's players celebrate a goal during the Spanish La Liga football match between FC Barcelona and Real Betis in Barcelona, Spain, April 29, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)
Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates his goal during the Spanish La Liga football match between FC Barcelona and Real Betis in Barcelona, Spain, April 29, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)
Barcelona's Andreas Christensen (3rd L) celebrates his goal with Ronald Araujo (2nd R) during the Spanish La Liga football match between FC Barcelona and Real Betis in Barcelona, Spain, April 29, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)
Real Madrid's players celebrate a goal during the Spanish La Liga football match between Real Madrid and UD Almeria in Madrid, Spain, April 29, 2023. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)
Real Madrid's players celebrate a goal during the Spanish La Liga football match between Real Madrid and UD Almeria in Madrid, Spain, April 29, 2023. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)
Real Madrid's Rodrygo competes during the Spanish La Liga football match between Real Madrid and UD Almeria in Madrid, Spain, April 29, 2023. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)
Real Madrid's Toni Kroos (L) vies with Almeria's Chumi during the Spanish La Liga football match between Real Madrid and UD Almeria in Madrid, Spain, April 29, 2023. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)
Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. (front) receives a yellow card during the Spanish La Liga football match between Real Madrid and UD Almeria in Madrid, Spain, April 29, 2023. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema (R) vies with Almeria's Houboulang Mendes during the Spanish La Liga football match between Real Madrid and UD Almeria in Madrid, Spain, April 29, 2023. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)
