Barcelona denied by ghost goal at Betis

Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring a goal during the Spanish league football match Real Betis vs FC Barcelona at the Benito Villamarin stadium in Sevilla on January 29, 2017.The match ended in a draw 1-1 / AFP PHOTO /

Barcelona’s La Liga title challenge suffered a huge blow as the Spanish champions were controversially held 1-1 at Real Betis despite Luis Suarez’s last minute equaliser yesterday.

Aleix Alegria gave Betis the lead their dominance deserved 15 minutes from time when he bundled home from close range after Marc-Andre ter Stegen flapped at a corner.

However, Barca were rightly infuriated seconds later as the ball clearly crossed the Betis goalline, but no goal was given by referee Alejandro Jose Hernandez.

Suarez did at least rescue a point in the dying seconds, though, as he slotted home Lionel Messi’s through ball for his 21st goal of the season.

Barca move above Sevilla into second on goal difference, but remain a point adrift of Real Madrid, who have two games in hand, the first of which comes at home to Real Sociedad later on Sunday.

Sevilla are also in action later at Espanyol.

“We have to help the referees,” Barca boss Luis Enrique told BeIN Sports Spain.

“The technology can help them. I say that for all situations not just ones that go for me, but against me too.”

Suarez was less understanding as he claimed the ball “was a metre over the line.”

Ultimately Enrique paid the price for again heavily rotating his side with Wednesday’s Copa del Rey semi-final, first leg at Atletico Madrid in mind.

“The feeling I have is that we have won one point (not lost two),” he added.

Enrique made six changes in all, including three of the back four and Betis took advantage with a bright start.