Sevilla Demolishes Barcelona 4-1, Real Madrid Takes LaLiga Top Spot
Sevilla demolishes Barcelona 4-1 at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium, delivering the league leaders their first defeat of the season. This stunning LaLiga upset immediately propelled rivals Real Madrid to the top of the table. Barcelona’s disappointing performance, coupled with a midweek Champions League loss, ends their unbeaten start. Coach Hansi Flick’s side struggled severely without injured star Lamine Yamal.
Sevilla took control early in the match. Former Barcelona winger Alexis Sánchez earned a penalty in the 13th minute. Ronald Araujo needlessly fouled Isaac Romero in the box. Sánchez stepped up and coolly converted the spot-kick, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way. Romero then doubled Sevilla’s lead. He finished a counterattack in the 36th minute, tucking home Rubén Vargas’ inviting cross. Barcelona defender Jules Koundé was stripped of the ball, creating the chance.
However, Marcus Rashford briefly gave Barcelona hope just before halftime. He redirected Pedri’s inch-perfect cross with a first-time finish. The goal marked Rashford’s first LaLiga strike since joining the club on loan. Furthermore, Barcelona ramped up the pressure in the second half. They were awarded a penalty after Adnan Januzaj fouled Alejandro Balde. This was a critical moment for an equalizer. Nevertheless, Robert Lewandowski shot wide of the post from the spot. He had attempted two stutter steps, but Sevilla keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos guessed correctly.
Sevilla immediately capitalized on that crucial miss. They added two late strikes to secure their massive victory. José Ángel Carmona found the bottom corner with a long, angled shot in the 89th minute. Akor Adams then completed the rout six minutes into stoppage time. The decisive win moves Sevilla up to seventh place in the standings. Meanwhile, Real Madrid now leads the title race by two points. The crushing defeat means Hansi Flick must quickly refocus his team. “It’s important that we stick together,” Flick stated after the loss. He believes the team will fight for every title when they return from the international break.
Source: The Associated Press
