Keita grabs late equaliser for 10-man Barca at Betis

Monday, 14 May 2012 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: Seydou Keita scored a stoppage-time equaliser as 10-man Barcelona drew 2-2 at Real Betis to wrap up Pep Guardiola’s last La Liga campaign as coach of the club on Saturday.

Much of the attention had been on whether Lionel Messi would add to his record 50 league goals this term but the World Player of the Year had a quiet game and was upstaged by Betis striker Ruben Castro.

Sergio Busquets headed Barca in front from a corner after nine minutes. A second yellow card for defender Dani Alves in the 53rd then turned the game on its head and opened the way for a Betis fightback.

Castro burst clear to lob keeper Victor Valdes in the 71st minute and he also broke through the middle to add his second goal three minutes later.

Messi struck the post with a free kick just before Keita flung himself at a cross to level matters.

Second-placed Barca finished with 91 points from 38 matches, six short of champions Real Madrid who can beat their La Liga points record of 99 with a win at home to Real Mallorca on Sunday.

Barca still have the King’s Cup final to play against Athletic Bilbao on May 25 before Guardiola hands over the reins to his assistant Tito Vilanova.

The Catalans will be chasing their 14th trophy from the coach’s four years in charge.

Valencia, 30 points behind Barca in third spot, said farewell to coach Unai Emery after a 1-0 defeat at Real Sociedad.

French winger Antoine Griezmann scored the only goal after 64 minutes. Argentine Mauricio Pellegrino will take over from Emery who is reported by local media to be close to joining Spartak Moscow.

Emery, a manic touchline presence, leaves Valencia after guiding them to automatic qualification to the Champions League for the third year in a row.