Alba strikes late as Barca secure top-four spot with Betis win

MADRID: Barcelona secured qualification for next season's Champions League on Saturday (May 7) as Jordi Alba's 94th-minute winner against Real Betis guaranteed the Catalans' place in the La Liga top four.

Alba's stinging injury-time volley snatched a 2-1 victory for Barca at the Benito Villamarin to ensure they will play in the Champions League next term, an achievement that is likely to be crucial to the club's hopes of financial recovery.

When Xavi Hernandez took over as coach in November, Barcelona lay ninth in La Liga, with genuine concerns about their chances of closing the gap on the top four.

But, despite a recent dip in form, significant improvements have seen Xavi's team surge up the table and they can now look forward to rejoining the likes of Real Madrid in Europe's premier tournament next season.

The difference between Champions League and Europa League football could be worth more than 50 million euros (US$52.7 million) to Barcelona, who began the season with debts of more than a billion euros, and after being forced to let Lionel Messi leave for free last summer.

Missing out on the financial rewards of the Champions League would have been unthinkable and while a trophyless season can never count as a success for Barca, finishing in the top four is an impressive achievement for Xavi and a huge relief for the club.

Victory leaves Barcelona second in the table, 11 points clear of Betis in fifth, with both teams having three games left to play. Barca should now be confident of clinching second place too, with five points the gap between them and Sevilla, who play at Villarreal on Sunday.

Betis looked like they had sealed a point after Marc Bartra headed in an equaliser in the 78th minute, three minutes after Ansu Fati