Barcelona were held to a 1-1 draw by Real Betis in La Liga on Saturday but still managed to increase their lead at the top of the table. The result came after Real Madrid suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Valencia, conceding a last-minute goal.

Barcelona now hold a four-point advantage over Real Madrid at the summit of La Liga. Both teams are preparing for Champions League first-leg ties this week, with Real Madrid traveling to Arsenal on Tuesday and Barcelona facing Dortmund the following evening.

Barcelona took an early lead in the seventh minute when Gavi slotted home from close range after a quick break. However, Betis responded 16 minutes later, with Natan Souza rising above his defender to score a header from Giovani Lo Celso`s corner.

Despite dominating possession in the second half, Barcelona could not find the breakthrough. A combination of Betis` resolute defending, Adrian`s goalkeeping, and several near misses kept the score level. Barcelona continued to push forward but ultimately had to settle for a draw, which still increased their lead over Real Madrid.

Gavi expressed his disappointment after the match, saying, "If we had won we would be further clear, but in the end it`s football. The draw leaves a bitter taste because we were unable to take advantage of the chances we had."

The result moved Betis up to fifth in the standings.

- Real Madrid`s late heartbreak -

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti admitted his team lacked effectiveness after a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Valencia. "La Liga is more complicated, but we have to fight until the last game," said Ancelotti. "We created lots of chances but lacked a little effectiveness."

The loss saw Valencia climb to 15th, seven points above the relegation zone.

Real Madrid had a chance to take control early when Kylian Mbappe won a penalty after being fouled by Cesar Tarrega. However, Vinicius Junior`s penalty was saved by Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, marking his second consecutive miss from the spot.

Valencia struck first when Mouctar Diakhaby`s header from a corner beat Antonio Rudiger. Real Madrid equalized in the 50th minute when Vinicius scored following a scramble in the box, matching Ronaldo`s record of 104 goals for the club.

Despite several opportunities created by Mbappe, Real Madrid struggled to convert their chances. Mamardashvili was in top form, keeping Valencia in the game until they struck again in injury time. A slick counter-attack ended with Rafa Mir providing the assist for Hugo Duro, who scored the winner.

Ancelotti fielded third-choice goalkeeper Fran Gonzalez due to injuries to Thibaut Courtois and Andriy Lunin, although Lunin was fit enough to be named on the bench.

Looking ahead, Ancelotti will focus on the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona on April 26 in Seville, emphasizing the need for improvement in both attack and defense. "The match against Barca in the Copa del Rey will be different; they`ll attack more, and we`ll have to be better at the back and be effective up front," he said.