FC Barcelona beat Sevilla (5-2) with ease at the Camp Nou and maintains its four-point advantage over Real Madrid, its closest pursuer in the League. In addition, Gavi has returned to have minutes in the final moments after his serious injury.
With the three points in the pocket, with a hat-trick included from Raphinhatwo from the penalty spot, the Blaugrana can now focus solely and exclusively on the momentous second leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Newcastle.
A duel that I was already thinking about before the match against the Andalusians Hansi Flick, who left Lamine Yamal on the bench to give him a rest for Wednesday.
Barça started the match taking the lead before ten minutes of play, thanks to a very dubious penalty awarded by the referee for an alleged knockdown by Sow on Cancelo.
Two penalties in 20 minutes
Raphinha did not hesitate to take that ball and assume the responsibility of taking the maximum penalty. The Brazilian placed the ball on the penalty spot, barely taking a few steps back and made it 1-0 like Panenka (1-0, min. 8).
The goal did not intimidate Sevilla, who were trying to go on the counterattack against a Barcelona that did not leave them many options, with Cancelo and Raphinha entering from the left like ‘Pedro at home’.
Ten minutes after signaling the first maximum penalty, Martínez Munuera heeded the instructions from Iglesias Villanueva’s VAR and, after reviewing the action on the monitor, pointed out Carmona’s hand inside the area.
Once again, Raphinha took responsibility for taking the shot from eleven meters. This time, the winger decided to send the ball to Vlachodimos’ right post, which He touched it with the tips of his fingers. (2-0, min. 20).
Cancelo has been one of Barça’s best against Sevilla. REUTERS
Barcelona already had half the game in their pocket and had not yet reached half an hour of play. Furthermore, Sevilla had a very difficult time passing from the middle of the field and was not able to finish any play.
Lewandowski, who is not very good in front of goal, disguised himself as an interior and gave a deep ball to Marc Bernal; The youth player ran until he got into the ‘kitchen’, raised his head and put a perfect ball for the arrival from the second line of Olmowho finished the ball into the back of the net first (3-0, min.37).
Sevilla, which was almost sunk, took a breath thanks to to Oso’s goal just before both teams headed to the locker rooms. The youth player finished off a good tempered cross from the right by Juanlu (min.45).
Raphinha sentences after the restart
Flick decided to leave Pedri on the bench so as not to strain the machine before the duel against Newcastle and Fermín came on in his place. Six minutes after the restart, the youth player gave a great assist so that Raphinha hiciese su particular ‘hat-trick’ and the match was decided, (4-1, min.51).
He also took his prize in the form of a goal João Cancelothe best on the Camp Nou grass this Sunday afternoon alongside the Brazilian. The Portuguese took advantage of a long pass to make a great ride, cut the center back and put a low shot at the far post, unreachable for Odisseas, (5-1, min.60).
Flick decided to give minutes to Lamine Yamal in the final stretch of the game, although the team’s star had no presence or role in a duel that had already been resolved beforehand.
He also returned to the grounds game after his very serious injury Gaviwhich was received with a tremendous ovation, the same one with which Raphinha, the hero of the afternoon, left the field. Oso managed to make up for the result somewhat with his second goal in stoppage time, (5-2, min.90).
With the three points under their belt, Barcelona now only has one thought: the second leg of the round of 16 against Newcastle on Wednesday, where the move to the quarterfinals is at stake after the 1-1 draw in the first leg.
