Spanish La Liga
Sevilla 4 – 1 Barcelona FT
Sevilla had not overwhelmed Barcelona in La Liga since 3 October 2015, a run of 19 video games [Getty Images]
Barcelona missed the prospect to return to the highest of La Liga after being thrashed by Sevilla.
Needing victory to reclaim the management from Real Madrid, the defending champions suffered their worst loss in opposition to Sevilla since a 4-0 defeat in 1951.
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Robert Lewandowski missed a second-half penalty for Barcelona after Marcus Rashford had scored a left-footed volley in first-half stoppage time to offer them hope of turning round a two-goal deficit.
Hansi Flick’s aspect had been second finest for lengthy intervals and deservedly fell to their first league defeat of the marketing campaign in opposition to a aspect who had not overwhelmed them within the Spanish high flight for simply over a decade.
Former Barcelona winger Alexis Sanchez opened the scoring from the penalty spot after visiting captain Ronald Araujo had bundled Isaac Romero over by the byeline.
Romero himself swept within the second goal from an incisive counter-attack earlier than Rashford replied from Pedri’s back-post cross.
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However, a well-drilled dwelling defence largely saved Barca at bay till Lewandowski put his spot-kick vast after former Manchester United winger Adnan Januzaj had fouled Alejandro Balde.
And when Jose Angel Carmona and Akor Adams scored within the closing minutes it compounded a depressing afternoon for Barcelona, who got here into the competition after a midweek Champions League defeat by holders Paris St-Germain.
Barca stay two factors adrift of Real Madrid, whereas Sevilla are fifth however may very well be overtaken by Atletico Madrid in the event that they beat Celta Vigo in Sunday’s late sport.