Sevilla 1-3 Barcelona: Barça duo lead visitors to a comeback win as Raphinha scores HAT-TRICK

Raphinha became the first Barcelona player in 11 years to net a perfect LaLiga hat-trick as the Brazilian, along with two Lamine Yamal assists, fired the leaders to a turnaround 3-1 win over Sevilla at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán.

Match Report

After registering three goal contributions in an emphatic 7-2 win over Racing de Santander, a confident Yamal went agonisingly to curling in an early opener, only to see his long-range effort crash against the upright. Around 10 minutes later, Sevilla demonstrated why this contest was billed as the biggest test of Barcelona’s season so far, as Youssouf Fofana powered a near-post header past La Liga debutant Dominik Livaković after meeting Félix Correia’s clipped delivery.

The home faithful were still bouncing from Fofana’s first Sevilla goal, but their hopes of seeing a repeat of last season’s 4-1 home win over Barcelona quickly started to dissipate, when Raphinha levelled the scoreline. Thriving in a new centre-forward role this term, the Brazilian made an intelligent run in behind to collect Andreas Christensen’s through ball, and cleverly chopped it onto his right foot before calmly slotting it beyond the goalkeeper to hit double figures in just seven league games.

With the two teams level at the break, Yamal started the second period with a point to prove after reacting to Sevilla fans mocking him for a poor miss in the first half. The 19-year-old ultimately had the last laugh, as he expertly created the goal that put Hansi Flick’s side in front. After plucking the ball out of the air, Yamal escaped the pressure of two Sevilla defenders to stand the ball up for Raphinha to head in his second goal of the game.

Just moments later, the Barça captain nearly grabbed a third direct from the corner, but the ambitious effort found the far post rather than the net. But that only delayed the inevitable, as he sealed a second straight hat-trick just shy of the 70-minute mark, deftly lifting a left-foot shot over the onrushing Odysseas Vlachodimos after collecting Yamal’s perfectly weighted through ball.

The 29-year-old’s 14th competitive goal wrapped up a seventh consecutive league win for Barcelona, sending the Catalan giants – who avoided a first set of successive H2H away defeats since 2007 with ease – six points clear at the summit. As for Sevilla, there is a small consolation, in that they are guaranteed to go into the upcoming international break sat fifth in the table, following a stalemate in Bilbao earlier today.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

7' Yamal latches on to an accurate pass, but his attempt only rattles the left post

18' GOAL! Correia sends a pass to Fofana, who heads the ball into the net! Sevilla 1-0 Barcelona

22' GOAL! Raphinha drills a shot into the bottom corner in trademark fashion! Sevilla 1-1 Barcelona

36' Yamal breaks into the box and goes over after a challenge, but the ref signals NO penalty!

52' GOAL! Raphinha runs onto a clever lofted pass and heads the ball in! Sevilla 1-2 Barcelona

59' Christensen is not able to carry on due to injury, and he is replaced by Gerard Martin

63' Rodri collects a pass and unleashes a shot which is brilliantly blocked by a defender

69' GOAL! Raphinha times his run to perfection and chips the ball over the keeper! Sevilla 1-3 Barcelona

76' Raphinha and Fermin are replaced by Adeyemi and Olmo

78' Gordon shots from the edge of the box, but the ball hits one of the defenders and bounces away

84' Yamal unleashes a powerful shot towards goal from a free kick, but the ball is blocked

89' Olmo stands over the free kick and takes it , but only sending it for Vlachodimos to make a save

Line-ups

Sevilla XI: Odysseas Vlachodimos, Gabriel Suazo, Giorgi Kochorashvili, Juan Iglesias, Youssouf Fofana, Agoume, Arouna Sangante, Félix Correia, Robbie Ure, Andrés Castrín, Miguel Sierra

Subs: Guridi, Teixeira, Alfon González, Chidera Ejuke, Peque Fernández, Isaac Romero, José Ángel Carmona, Manu Bueno, Iker Muñoz, Fran González, Julio Díaz, Nico Guillén

Barcelona XI: Cancelo, Christensen, D. Livaković, Rodri, Raphinha, Eric Garcia, Gordon, Pedri, Fermín López, Yamal, Cubarsi

Subs: Szczesny, Jesus, Olmo, Kounde, Adeyemi, Balde, Gavi, Gerard Martín, Iker Rodríguez, Bernal, Xavi Espart, Hamza Abdelkarim