Barcelona 2-0 Sevilla: Xavi's side eight points clear at top of La Liga
Barcelona moved eight points clear at the top of La Liga as a clinical second-half performance helped them to a routine victory against Sevilla.
After an uneventful first half the hosts took the lead through Jordi Alba's 58th-minute side-footed finish.
Gavi tapped home Raphinha's cross to double the lead after 71 minutes and the Brazil winger rounded off the scoring by poking in Alba's cross.
Defeat leaves Sevilla 16th, just two points clear of the relegation zone.
One bit of bad news for Barcelona was captain Sergio Busquets going off with an ankle injury after just four minutes.
Barca host Manchester United in the first leg of their Europa League play-off tie on 16 February.
Earlier on Saturday, title rivals Real Madrid missed out on the chance to cut Barcelona's lead at least temporarily to two points, losing 1-0 to Mallorca.
Line-ups
Barcelona
Formation 4-3-3
1ter Stegen
23Koundé4Araújo15Christensen18Alba
8Pedri5Busquets21F de Jong
22Raphinha9Lewandowski6Gavi
- 1ter Stegen
- 23Koundé
- 4AraújoSubstituted forAlonsoat 80'minutes
- 15Christensen
- 18AlbaSubstituted forBaldeat 83'minutes
- 8Pedri
- 5BusquetsSubstituted forKessiéat 8'minutes
- 21F de Jong
- 22RaphinhaSubstituted forF Torresat 84'minutes
- 9Lewandowski
- 6GaviSubstituted forAnsu Fatiat 80'minutes
Substitutes
- 10Ansu Fati
- 11F Torres
- 13Peña Sotorres
- 17Alonso
- 19Kessié
- 20Roberto
- 24García
- 28Balde
- 36Tenas
- 38Alarcón
Sevilla
Formation 5-4-1
13Bono
2Montiel22Badé6Gudelj4Rekik19Acuña
21Torres18Gueye8Jordán10Rakitic
15En-Nesyri
- 13Bono
- 2Montiel
- 22Badé
- 6Gudelj
- 4Rekik
- 19AcuñaSubstituted forOcamposat 65'minutes
- 21TorresSubstituted forGilat 45'minutes
- 18GueyeSubstituted forRegesat 83'minutes
- 8JordánBooked at 75mins
- 10RakiticBooked at 45mins
- 15En-NesyriSubstituted forLamelaat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Dmitrovic
- 5Ocampos
- 7Fernández Sáenz de la Torre
- 12Mir
- 14Nianzou
- 17Lamela
- 20Reges
- 25Gil
- 27Álvarez
- 31Flores
Referee:José María Sánchez Martínez
Attendance:77,987
Match Stats
Live Text
Match ends, Barcelona 3, Sevilla 0.
Second Half ends, Barcelona 3, Sevilla 0.
Corner, Sevilla. Conceded by Marcos Alonso.
Attempt saved. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Offside, Sevilla. Fernando tries a through ball, but Gonzalo Montiel is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Ivan Rakitic (Sevilla) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is too high.
Attempt saved. Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Gonzalo Montiel with a cross.
Corner, Sevilla. Conceded by Marcos Alonso.
Offside, Sevilla. Nemanja Gudelj tries a through ball, but Lucas Ocampos is caught offside.
Substitution, Barcelona. Ferran Torres replaces Raphinha.
Substitution, Barcelona. Alejandro Balde replaces Jordi Alba.
Substitution, Sevilla. Fernando replaces Pape Gueye.
Corner, Sevilla. Conceded by Jordi Alba.
Substitution, Barcelona. Marcos Alonso replaces Ronald Araújo.
Substitution, Barcelona. Ansu Fati replaces Gavi.
Goal! Barcelona 3, Sevilla 0. Raphinha (Barcelona) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jordi Alba.
Attempt missed. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Pedri from a direct free kick.
Joan Jordán (Sevilla) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Raphinha (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Joan Jordán (Sevilla).
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