Is Barcelona the BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD? 🤔 REACTION to 5-2 win over Real Betis | ESPN FC

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ESPN FC reacts to Barcelona's 5-2 win over Real Betis: best team debate, refereeing controversy and Clasico vs PSG priorities

The ESPN FC panel reacts to Barcelona's 5-2 win over Real Betis, discussing the disallowed Betis goal, Lamine Yamal's performance and Barcelona's current dominance. They also debate whether Flick should prioritize El Clasico against Real Madrid over the Champions League game against PSG, and whether Barcelona are now the best team in the world with the deepest squad.

On ESPN FC, the panel discuss Barcelona’s 5-2 win over Real Betis and their historic start to the LALIGA season. ✔️ Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited: https://plus.espn.com/ ESPN ESPNFC

Transcript

five goals and yet again another highscoring game between Bettis and Barcelona last year this fixture finished 5-3 again Barcelona the winners and Barcelona perfect through their first nine games this season and scoring plenty of goals on the way to it adding another five to their tally today. No one is close to them in terms of goal scoring. No one is close to them in the table right now. Luis Garcia was watching for us today. Another win for Hansy Flicksmen. Bit of drama on the way to it, but it is another three points in the bag, Luis. >> Yeah, exactly. And a good test for Barcelona. Rotation work in the end, but I think that everything changed after the the send off for Realis. Betty was open and and ready to to challenge this Barcelona side that is really difficult to to handle. But if you because if you try to open a little bit if you try to make those quick transition that it were for real in the first half and part of the second half you can get something that you you create chances you score goals and even you could have scored another two goals but um you are going to be punished if you allow them to be in transition and I think that they knew it very well. Pellegrino knew that at some point this might happen because this what is happening to every single team. Barcelona right now is dominant is very comfortable with the ball but also in transition. The amount of quality up front is is crazy because today we saw once again being import but then it was Gordon and Gabriel Jesus providing not not only goals and assist but also a lot of work something that if you want to be part of this Barcelona side you have to bring because Rafiniah is the leader up front but if there someone else arriving it's going to provide also that. So a very good test for for Barcelona that in the end managed to to get a good result in a very difficult pitch. the the grass wasn't the best one, but they managed to to do it. But again, I think that that end off kind of put the balance in the other side and and and help Barcelona to get that uh that fold goal who allowed them to in the end get the three points. >> Can we talk about that first goal from Lamin and just how special it was LA? >> You try to stay with them. You really can. It gives you a little bit of this and a little bit of that and a little bit of this and now you're gone. And beyond all of that, which all of that is special, is the finish, the quality of the finish that follows. Yeah, you can give me all all all the all the flavor, all the all the sasson, all all the seasoning, if you will, and all the spice that Laminia can bring to the game, but you also need to bring the finish and the final product. And he did that perfectly in that particular sequence. We say it every single weekend. He is special. He really, really is a special talent. And whoever doubts the abilities of Lamin, just watch him. Not just in the goals, but watch him in his overall play and you'll see a guy who's seeing a completely different picture than everybody else. >> Now, in the end, it was the 5-2 win for Barcelona. But Luis, if we can just go back to that hand ball where it would have been the equalizing goal for Loels because of course it's going to be talked about afterwards. You were fine with the hand ball. You were on the coverage with us today. >> But how long this have to happen? I understand that if he's in a counterattack they continue play just a humble just right there just before the player who touch the ball but we are talking a moment of grab the ball open the ball make a cross it's a deflection outside of the ball there is a 50/50 there is a battling between Barcelona play and real bed the ball goes out so there is so much happening different phases on that play that I think that um that goal could have go on the score and real had another option of um of being into the game, but the the referee decided again, we have to go and ask the referee why did he turn over the the goal because in my mind I think that was a totally different play. >> What did you think of it, Stevie? >> They have to decide how many phases of play before they can go back. I mean otherwise it just becomes ridiculous. >> And define a phase of play as well. >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean I mean the obvious one is the shot and then it's deflected. >> I mean it's from this. It's completely a a different if you want to call it phase of play. But but it kind for me it means that what happened way back there 15 seconds ago 100% becomes null and void. But the referees aren't told precisely how to how to manage it. And so you're going to end up with some referees going that far back and you might find some that won't. So they have to define what it is. How many phases of play? What is a phase of play? I think we pretty much know kind of most of us what that is >> kind of. Yeah. >> But to try, but they have to just define it what it is. Otherwise, it's just going to continue. We we'll we'll see it again. >> It's interesting because in the coverage, Ricardo Borgo, the referee, they showed the um angle from his camera, ref cam, right, where he's seeing the handball and he doesn't quite see it as clearly as we see it on the replay. and he you can hear him in the audio say na na na essentially play on play on as if he's sending the message to whoever is listening in VR on what he saw. Now that's one one aspect of the play in which you can argue and say listen the referee didn't see it clearly and so therefore he allowed play to go on and that I understand. What I don't understand is how can they not define this as a different phase of play once the ball is deflected up in the air and now the the ball is up for grabs. It's it it could be at the YMI that wins it. It could be the defending player from Betty's that wins it. The that rebound could go anywhere as he did. The ball actually went backwards which by definition means that you're sort of having to start over if you're Betty's. If I'm Pellegrini and I'm Betes, I'm feeling really, really, really disturbed about this because we can all understand that you give the hand ball. And I think once you see the play and you see the arm swinging towards the ball, you say, "Well, yeah, it's a hand ball." Some would argue, "Hey, I thought the handball was supposed to be down to the sleeve length and whatever. It feels like it's on the sleeve." We're not going to go down that path. Let's assume that indeed it's a it's a handball. But I what I think all of us have a problem with is we defended this play. The ball bounced up in the air. Now it's up for grabs. Now it's up for somebody to get on the rebound. Rebound happens to follow to fall to Loel. So he hits the shot that he hits. And we're thinking, we're saying that this that happened over here is connected that to that what happened over there. And I don't think that's the case. I don't think that's the case at all. >> There's no question that the referee's been influenced by he saw something but wasn't sure. And regardless of how many so-called phases of play, as soon as he gets the opportunity, he wants to go and see it. >> Yeah. >> As for Barcelona, that is another win for them, Luis Garcia, but it's a big week ahead from them. They've got PSG in the Champions League. Then they've got Real Madrid and Eláico. How does Hans Flick approach the week ahead? >> I think that the same way that he's been doing since the rest of of the season, I think is doing a fantastic job on keeping everyone on their toes. Um now Frankie Yon is also back in the training. Rafa has been just recovered. We saw him today once again. So he's got so many different options and he's doing a fantastic job on rotating because uh from what we saw in the middle middle week, we are going to see a totally different team. Maybe not that many changes. Paris and German is going to be a probably the biggest test so far this season. H but the players arrive in a in a great moment with a lot of confidence knowing what they have to do. Today we we saw once again that high line. They was exposed against Abd that is a very quick player. Let's don't forget maybe Betty has got only one or maybe two player who can break that line against Paris. Man, they are three four players who can hit and and make and exploit those those spaces. But but what we've seen so far of this Barcelona is there is a lot more solid than last year, a lot more confidence. the piece of rod in the middle of the park. I think that have gave this Barcelona that composure in the middle of the park. His ability to have the ball control today was 98% accurate on on the passing rate. That's something incredible that's very difficult to do and he he kind of provide that to to Barcelona giving the freedom to Pedri. He's solid in the middle of the park helping the backline to be organized to give them the the the help on the buildup and up front. What can I say? I think that Barcelona right now is probably the best team with the best striker. If we talk about the depth in their squad, five, six, seven players who can deliver not only threat, speed, and power, but also the ability to score goals as we've seen today. Once again, >> the neutrals may not want to hear this because the headlining game on this upcoming Champions League week is indeed Barcelona against PSG. Um if I'm Hansy Flick and I'm managing this group and I'm thinking what is the priority for me it is not PSG not given the stage of the competition in this group phase or initial phase of of league phase if you will for a champions league both PSG and Barcelona they're going to advance this is whether you lose to PSG or you beat PSG it's irrelevant when you think about Champions League itself beating Real Madrid in Eláico at home. That should be the priority because that puts you in a position of total control in league play. That should be the priority. So, whatever you need to do if you're handsy flick to make sure that everybody that you think should be ready, must be ready, will be ready for that match against Real Madrid. And if that means sacrificing certain things against PSG, that's what you need to do. Now, some people are going to say, "How dare you do that?" >> Let me ask you quickly. This the only thing I've thought about this here because I know I've heard a few people say this. What if you know that you're going to meet PSG later in the Champions League and it's going to be a a big knockout game. Then it doesn't matter the >> It doesn't matter because that's months from now. >> Doesn't count >> and and it's months from now and it's a different stage of the competition where there's a whole lot more jeopardy whenever you do that. We assume sometime in the spring. So if we assume that PSG and Barcelona are going to be in the advanced uh positions in Champions League and they're going to advance in knockout stage and they're going to meet each other say quarterfinals or semi-finals um that is months down the road the difference will be the teams will be in a much different place and whatever happened this week h would have absolutely no impact on what happens then. Eláico the priority for Hans Flick >> 100%. If you if you would I would guarantee you if you were to say to Hans Flick now I'll guarantee you beat Real Madrid if you forfeit the three points against PSG he would bite your hand off cuz going nine points clear boy that's that's going to take some some coming back for Madrid.