Barcelona 6 - 2 Real Betis (Aug-20-2016) La Liga Highlights

Barcelona 6 - 2 Real Betis (Aug-20-2016) La Liga Highlights

Barcelona got their La Liga title defence off to the perfect start with a comfortable home win over Real Betis in which Lionel messi scored twice and Luis Suarez grabbed a hat trick.

In windy conditions, the champions took only six minutes to make the breakthrough when Arda Turan fired home a close-range finish from Jordi Alba's low cross.

And they could have been two up with less than 10 minutes played when Messi and Alba combined to set up a chance for Suarez before Betis scrambled the ball away.

But Barcelona were stunned when Ruben Castro fired a free-kick past Raul Bravo to level after a Sergio Busquets foul had presented him with the opportunity.

It came after an improved spell from the visitors, but Barcelona soon took control again and, after Luis Suarez had seen penalty appeals waved away after a challenge from Aissa Mandi, Messi thumped an effort against the bar.

And they regained the lead after 37 minutes when Messi found room on the edge of the area to whip a vicious low finish past goalkeeper Antonio Adan.

Three minutes before the break, Suarez put the result beyond any doubt as he steered Sergi's cutback low into the bottom corner to make it 3-1.

Betis offered little in response after the break as the home side monopolised possession, and two goals shortly before the hour mark, from Suarez -- who turned in a low Messi cross -- and Messi himself turned victory into a rout.

Messi blasted a free kick over the top as he looked for an opening day hat trick, and almost created a hat trick goal for Suarez when his low cross was scrambled clear.

With a quarter of an hour remaining, Messi was denied by Adan as he steered another Alba cross towards goal, but Suarez completed his treble when he fired a sumptuous free-kick past Adan after being fouled on the edge of the area by Antonio Sanabria.

Bedraggled Betis managed to pull one back when Castro finished neatly, but they were powerless in the face of a dominant Barcelona display.

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