SEVILLE, Spain (BN24) — Sevilla delivered a stunning performance to hand Barcelona their first La Liga defeat of the season on Sunday, cruising to a 4-1 win at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium in a game that saw Alexis Sanchez haunt his former club with a decisive early goal.
Sanchez opened the scoring in the 13th minute from the penalty spot, sending Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny the wrong way after a VAR review confirmed the foul inside the box. The Chilean forward, once a key player at the Camp Nou, showed no hesitation as he buried the opener.
Sevilla doubled their lead in the 37th minute through Isaac Romero, who found space in the box and finished clinically to put the hosts in firm control before halftime.
Barcelona responded with hope just before the break as Marcus Rashford latched onto a loose ball in the box and fired a composed first-time finish into the net during first-half stoppage time. The goal brought Barcelona back into the contest, but it would ultimately prove only a temporary lifeline.
In the 76th minute, Barcelona had a golden chance to level the score after being awarded a penalty. However, Robert Lewandowski, typically reliable from the spot, sent his effort wide, squandering a key opportunity to change the momentum of the match.
Sevilla capitalized on the miss and put the game beyond reach in the dying moments. Substitute José Ángel Carmona sealed the result in stoppage time, slotting home in the 90th minute after excellent buildup play from Adnan Januzaj and Alexandre Gouame.
There was a moment of drama late in the second half when Gerard “Peque” Fernández was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Barcelona’s Eric García. However, after a VAR review, the decision was downgraded to a yellow card, and both sides continued with 11 players.
Barcelona created several chances throughout the match, including a key opportunity missed by Roony Bardghji, but were ultimately undone by wastefulness in front of goal and Sevilla’s ruthless finishing.
Manager Hansi Flick attempted to shift the tide by introducing Eric García and Alejandro Balde at halftime, followed later by Januzaj and Bardghji. Still, the substitutions failed to alter the course of the match.
The defeat sees Barcelona drop to second place in the La Liga standings with 19 points, trailing archrivals Real Madrid, who now sit at the top of the table.
For Sevilla, the emphatic result is a major statement of intent and a reminder of their quality on home turf. The win marks one of their most impressive performances of the season and could prove pivotal in their push up the standings.
Barcelona will look to regroup as they prepare for a crucial run of fixtures, knowing that any further slip-ups could widen the gap in an already tense title race.
