Barca seemed to be cruising to an easy win over relegation-threatened Betis when Bojan Krkic and Samuel Eto'o put them 2-0 up inside 15 minutes.

But a revived Betis turned the tables with three superbly-worked goals in 13 second-half minutes.

'You almost can't believe how the game changed and the way we reacted to it,' Barca coach Frank Rijkaard told a news conference. 'I have to apologise to the fans for what happened.' Hosts Villarreal downed fellow high-fliers Atletico thanks to two goals from Turkish striker Nihat Kahveci.

Midfielder Santiago Cazorla drilled in the first goal, Nihat added the second before the break when he poked the ball in at the far post and then clinched victory with a pin-point shot midway through the second half.

Leaders Real Madrid, who host Sevilla on Sunday, have 62 points from 29 games and Villarreal are on 59 from 30. Barca, who have won only one of their last five matches, are third on 58, eight clear of Atletico.

Poor start
Although Betis were handed a two-match stadium ban after a visiting player was hit in the face by a bottle thrown from the crowd, they hosted Barcelona at their own ground after appealing for a postponement of the suspension.

Barca went ahead when 17-year-old Krkic rounded goalkeeper Casto after a close-range shot from Eto'o rattled the bar.

Eto'o made it 2-0, heading past Casto after Andres Iniesta dinked the ball into the area.

Barca toyed with Betis for the rest of the half but lost their way after Krkic was taken off.

Edu pulled a goal back almost immediately, heading in unopposed after good work from substitute Rafael Sobis in the 63rd minute.

Nerves got the better of Barca when France fullback Eric Abidal gave away a needless penalty by pushing substitute David Odonkor as he ran towards the byline but goalkeeper Victor Valdes spared his blushes by saving Edu's spot kick.

Barca's relief lasted less than a minute, Spain defender Juanito equalising with a stunning strike as he controlled with his chest before volleying in an angled shot.

The Betis fans exploded with delight two minutes later as Edu sped down the left and sent a fierce shot fizzing past Valdes to clinch a win that lifted them six points clear of the relegation zone. -- REUTERS