Johan Cruyff would be so happy...: the immediate notes from Betis-Barça

BarcelonaA resounding victory for Barça keeps them top of the Spanish league for another week. The Blaugrana fiercely overcame an early goal from Antony with a colossal performance from Ferran Torres (3-5). The home side managed to pull one back late in the game. Here are some immediate highlights.

How happy Cruyff would be. Firstly, the visual appeal of their Barcelona style of play and their composure in the face of adversity, such as conceding a goal, is striking: the team has already come back from behind eight times. The late Dutch idol would also have applauded bold choices like Gerard Martín in central defense or Eric Garcia in midfield – watch out, Frenkie! –. When faced with problems, they've shown courageous solutions, like surprising everyone by starting Roony Bardghji to compensate for Raphinha's injury. Flick could have followed the textbook approach and put Lewandowski in the Brazilian's place, but he decided to shake things up and it paid off.

Three out of five. Roony's performance deserves special mention. He reappeared in an official match after a few weeks out of the spotlight and not only didn't look out of place, but he also played a decisive role in Barça's lightning-fast comeback in the first half. The Swedish player of Syrian origin orchestrated the move for the 1-1 equalizer, delivered a sensational cross for Ferran to score the 1-2, and then added the finishing touch himself with the 1-3, a powerful shot with his theoretically weaker right foot. He seemed like the classic one-hit wonder, but it turns out his repertoire was much richer. If he continues to progress, it will be fantastic news whether he secures a regular place in the team – a brilliant substitute – or not – a valuable asset and then goodbye.

With a good jan hairstyle. After experiencing a significant setback in his career, Ferran Torres underwent therapy, popularized the "shark mentality," and toughened his appearance with a shaved head and a half-mohawk. The formula worked to get him back on his feet, but not because he was a regular starter for a Barça side that paid 50 million for him. Now that he's ditched the fade and is styling his hair like a puppy...upper DiagonalHowever, it seems the Valencian has found his best form. He no longer needs to play the villain. He has eleven goals in La Liga – his best tally as a Barça player and it's only December – and he's locked in a battle with Lewandowski, who has eight. Ferran is more useful than the Pole for what Flick is trying to achieve.

You can't cut off your hand. The match ended with a 1-4 scoreline in the first half, an insurmountable deficit for a Betis side that was too disorganized and lacked the intensity to pressure Barça's build-up play, allowing the visitors to play with complete freedom. But aside from being clearly inferior to an opponent that outplayed them in every aspect, the Andalusians had to lament that the referee made their afternoon even more difficult. Urged on by VAR, Hernández Maeso awarded a baffling penalty for a very unintentional handball by Bartra, who in the same play had clearly cleared the danger with his thigh. The penalty, which made it 1-5, was simply unnecessary. There's no need for assistance from referees, nor for contradictory rules.