Lionel Messi 9, Riqui Puig 5, Antoine Griezmann 7 - Barcelona ratings v Real Betis

Barca coach defends squad rotation following 3-2 win

BARCELONA RATINGS: Marc-Andre ter Stegen 6. Couldn’t do much as Borja side-footed a cross past him from six yards out. Conceded two, but made decent saves in an enjoyable game as Barça made it six league wins in a row to move up to joint second with Real Madrid. EPA

Oscar Mingueza 6. Had first Barça shot of the night - in the second half - but had been way up field as Betis countered on the left to go ahead after 38 minutes. Reuters

Ronald Araujo NA. Impressive this season at centre defence, but went down in agony after eight minutes after spraining an ankle. He’ll undergo tests on Monday. A shame. EPA

Clement Lenglet 6. Started ahead of Umtiti who’d struggled midweek. Barça are waiting for Gerard Pique to return. Lenglet missed a sitter when he had a free header after 28 minutes - he tried to head the ball into the corner but headed well wide. A starter last season, his stock had dropped this. EPA

Jordi Alba 7. Like his team, he came to life when Messi came on and crossed Messi’s superb ball towards Griezmann. Best Barça defender. AFP

Sergio Busquets 7. Tried to cover for out of position Mingueza for Betis’ opening goal. Out jumped by Victor Ruiz (who’d scored an own goal) for Betis’ 74th minute equaliser, but so much of Barça’s play still goes through the 32-year-old. EPA

Miralem Pjanic 5. Struggled to find space to attack in the first half. Over hit a pass for Alba and the television camera cut to Messi’s pained expression in the stand. Brought off after 57 minutes. Best thing he did was nearly get a shot on target. EPA

Riqui Puig 5. Uncustomary advanced pressing role and often the most forward Barça player. Quick feet but almost no effect on the game as Barça faltered in the first half. AFP

Ousmane Dembele 7. Lively if ineffective, but came alive when Messi came on and set him up to equalise. Had a 65th minute one-on-one chance to put his team ahead which was saved. Booked. Reuters

Martin Braithwaite 6. The first Barça player to come off for tactical reasons at half time, a striker who doesn’t strike. Works hard but looks shorn of Barça class. EPA

Antoine Griezmann 7. Got little against a Betis team who’d been unbeaten in nine, but while he couldn’t connect properly with Alba’s cross, he pushed the ball against Ruiz who put the ball in his own net to make it 2-1. Awkward collision with a pitch side camera. EPA

SUB: Frenkie De Jong 7. Barça’s most used player this season, he thought he might be rested but was brought on to play in an uncustomary defensive role after 10 minutes – despite other central defenders on the bench. Booked. Moved forward when Umtiti came on. AFP

SUB: Pedri 7. Rested after midweek Copa del Rey heroics when Barça were 2-0 down v Granada after 88 minutes but won in extra time. Busy against Betis with twice as many touches as the man he replaced, Braithwaite. EPA

SUB: Lionel Messi 9. On for Puig after 56. Took two minutes 22 seconds to finish a ball from Dembele with a left foot shot just inside the near post. You do not give Messi that time to shoot so close to goal. Extraordinary through ball to Alba before Barça’s second. Reuters

SUB: Francisco Trincao 7. Amazing winner after 86 minutes – his first goal in La Liga. He won the ball and curled a left foot shot which went in off the crossbar. Reuters

SUB: Samuel Umtiti 6. Natural central defender who came on for Busquets after 77. AFP

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman justified resting key players including Lionel Messi in Sunday's 3-2 win at Real Betis in La Liga by saying he wanted to keep his side fresh for the upcoming Copa del Rey semi-final clash at Sevilla.

The Dutchman left usual starters Messi, Frenkie de Jong and Pedri out of his starting lineup, but called on the trio to turn the game around after Borja Iglesias had given Betis a first-half lead.

Messi equalised within two minutes of coming off the bench and played a part in Barca's second goal, while Francisco Trincao thumped in the winner in the 87th minute.

"Above all I made the rotations because the players are exhausted," Koeman told reporters.

"We've played 11 games this year, 10 of which have been away from home and late at night. We are into the Copa del Rey semi-finals and Sevilla are a good side so we have to protect players to ensure we don't get more injuries."

Although the Copa del Rey ranks well below the La Liga title and Champions League in importance to supporters, Koeman is prioritising the competition this season as his side lag behind Atletico Madrid in the title race.

"It's the quickest route to win something which is very important for us. But Barca must have a winning mentality in every game and in every competition," Koeman added.