Liga – 4th day late: Despite the expulsion of Koundé, Sevilla shares the points with Barcelona (1-1)

Despite more than half an hour in numerical superiority, 23 shots at 5 and 58% possession, Barça did not manage to get better than the division of points on the lawn of a particularly disappointing Sevilla team. In the standings, the Catalan club, however, gains a rank from eighth to seventh position. Second, Sevilla are now five lengths behind Real Madrid.

Furious at the behavior of his men after only 20 minutes of play, Julen Lopetegui failed to wake up his troops. Except on a corner, Sevilla FC has never been dangerous. However, it is thanks to one of these remarkable combinations that Papu Gomez opened the scoring in the heart of the first period with an impeccable recovery with a touch of the ball low to the ground (32nd, 1-0), thus signing his second goal of the season.

It was then cruel for Barça, hard-hitting but not very dangerous despite 15 shots in the first period, his highest total of attempts since the start of the season in 45 minutes, in all competitions. Imitating their opponents, it was on a corner that Sergio Busquets’ teammates finally came back to the score: on the strike Ousmane Dembélé, on the reception Ronald Araujo for a powerful goal just before the break (45th, 1-1).

Koundé expelled, Dembélé in legs

We believed then the Catalans capable of taking the ascendancy, especially as Jules Koundé was going to facilitate their task by receiving a red card after a silly gesture of humor on Jordi Alba (64th) on which he threw the ball at close range. What happened in the mind of the young French international, directly expelled for the first time in his career? The meager shoulder thrusts against him from the left side are not enough to explain this total lack of discernment.

At eleven against ten, Barça took a long time to move up a gear. The end of the match was much more explosive, especially under the impetus of an Ousmane Dembélé particularly in legs and author of a magnificent strike on the post (84th). Sevillian goalkeeper Yassine Bounou then had to reassure his people twice in added time on attempts made by Luuk De Jong (85th) and Jordi Alba (87th). Of course, this Barça deserved better.