Al FC Barcelona He begins to look like a champion. There is a lot of League left, yes (18 games), but the sensations right now are the best for Xavi Hernández’s team, who has thrashed Sevilla (3-0) to get with a eight point lead over Real Madriddefeated hours before by Mallorca in Son Moix (1-0).
Jordi Alba, Gavi and Raphinha signed the goals for the culé team, which clings to LaLiga like a burning nail after being relegated to the Europa League after being eliminated in the Champions League. It was difficult for the Catalans to open the scoring tonight: Sampaoli’s Sevilla, who has shown signs of improvement in recent days, held their own in the first half, but in the second there was no color and Barça ended up being a gale against the goal of Bono. If Barcelona gets the title very on track, the Andalusians will again complicate the fight for permanence after leaving the Camp Nou empty tonight.
And that the night started crooked for the culés with the busquets injury, when only the first three minutes of the game had been completed —he joins Ousmane Dembélé in the Barça infirmary. In his place came Franck Kessié, who would end up being key in the victory by assisting Jordi Alba in the 1-0 action. The Hospitalet side was the only novelty in Xavi’s eleven compared to the team that beat Betis last Wednesday at the Benito Villamarín (1-2).
Barça began to have the ball, but Sevilla was not intimidated and, showing off a good defensive order and high and intense pressure, put the locals in difficulties, who were not quite comfortable. Until it started to appear Raphinha, generating danger with his incursions in attack. Little by little Barça began to remove the corset and Lewandowski, halfway through the first part, he tried his luck with a distant missile before which Bono excelled, a great goalkeeper. The Catalan team continued to play in the opposite field, but Sevilla took a step forward and finished the first half by taking a step forward, ready to storm the Camp Nou.
When the people of Seville were at their best, the interval was reached in the city of Barcelona. Sampaoli made a move after going through the locker room and brought Lamela and the always mischievous Bryan Gil onto the field, trying to freshen up Sevilla’s attack, but Barça immediately took control of the game. After the announcements by Lewandowski and Raphinha, the first goal of the night came at game time. Kessié received inside the area and invented a genius to attend Jordi Albastraining the ball between two rivals with hardly a gap, and the one from Hospitalet did not fail in the one-on-one.
Once the melon was opened, Barça smelled the blood and continued generating chances until Gavi12 minutes later, signed the second after an assist from the tireless Raphinha. The Brazilian looked for his goal and had it in the final stretch after an assist from Alba from the left: the former Leeds player was the smartest and fastest in the class to anticipate the defense and beat Bono. Everything seen for sentence in the Camp Nou.
Barça, non-conformist, wanted more, but what came was the opportunity for Ocampos’ head. It was minute 87 and also Sevilla’s first shot. Lewandowski He also wanted to join the party and looked for his goal with a centered shot that Bono saved without mishap. A win for a Barça that is beginning to head straight for the title: we have seen real feats against Madrid, but right now the Catalans are the main candidates to win the League again four years later.
Datasheet
FC Barcelona, 0: Ter Stegen; Koundé, Araujo (Marcos Alonso, min. 80), Christensen, Jordi Alba (Balde, min. 83); Busquets (Kessié, min. 8), Frenkie de Jong, Pedri; Raphinha (Ferran Torres, min. 83), Lewandowski and Gavi (Ansu Fati, min. 80)
Sevilla, 0: Bono; Montiel, Bade, Rekik, Acuña (Ocampos, min. 65); Pape Gueye (Fernando, min. 83), Joan Jordan; Gudelj, Oliver Torres (Bryan Gil, min. 46), Rakitic; and En-Nesyri (Lamela, min. 46).
Goals: 1-0, m.58: Jordi Alba; 2-0, m.70: Gavi; 3-0, m.78: Raphinha
Referee: José María Sánchez Martínez (Murcia Committee). Showed yellow card to Iván Rakitic (m.45+1) and Joan Jordán (m.75), from Sevilla
Incidences: Match corresponding to day 20 of LaLiga Santander played at the Camp Nou in front of 77,987 spectators. Before the start, a minute of silence was observed for the death of Josep Maria Espinàs, writer, journalist and co-author of the FC Barcelona anthem
