'For the sake of football' - Viral ref-cam footage reveals Hector Bellerin's cheeky plea for Giovani Lo Celso wonder-strike to stand against Barcelona

Bellerin was caught on the match official's body-camera making a humorous attempt to save his teammate's spectacular strike against his former club at La Cartuja. The flashpoint unfolded two minutes before the interval when Lo Celso hooked a spinning left-footed volley into the top corner from outside the box. However, Blaugrana stars immediately contested the equaliser after the ball struck Cucho Hernandez's hand in the build-up.

Just two minutes before that disputed effort, the visitors had restored their lead from a corner as Rodri capitalised on hesitation from goalkeeper Alvaro Valles to net his first goal for the club, after Valentin Gomez's 27th-minute header from a Pablo Fornals cross had cancelled out Lamine Yamal's early 20-yard curler.

Once Lo Celso's strike flew past Joan Garcia, both Yamal and Pedri sprinted over to referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea. Pointing to his own arm in the footage captured by the referee's camera, Pedri said: "It's a clear handball, it hits him here."

The official initially dismissed the claim by replying: "In my view, the movement isn't a punishable one, okay?"

Unconvinced by that explanation, the Spain midfielder hit back: "What do you mean it isn't? He clearly controls it with his hand!"

As Bengoetxea moved to calm the situation by stating "We're going to check it" before consulting the VAR room, Pedri pressed his case further: "Yes, it is a handball. Cucho makes a deliberate movement to bring the ball under control with his hand."

The referee stood by his on-field call by responding "For me, he has it in a natural position", prompting Fermin Lopez, Karim Adeyemi and Rodri to join the appeals as the latter insisted: "It's very clear."

With Pedri continuing to demand that the goal be chalked off, Bellerin walked over to the official to offer a cheeky defence of his team-mate's finish: "Just for the sake of the goal he scored, it should be allowed to stand. For the sake of football."

Unfortunately for Betis, VAR ultimately disallowed the strike. After the restart, Gabriel Jesus converted a Yamal cross to make it 3-1, and although Abde Ezzalzouli briefly reduced the deficit, Facundo Bernal was sent off moments later for moving his head towards Yamal before substitute Eric Garcia and Dani Olmo sealed a 5-2 victory.

Overcoming their 10-man hosts saw Hansi Flick's side claim a ninth straight victory to match the best start to a La Liga campaign in history, set by Real Madrid in 1968-69. That commanding triumph provides the ideal platform for a decisive week as the Catalan giants face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday night. They will then turn their attention to next weekend's El Clasico showdown against Madrid.