The Catalans clinched a narrow win to leapfrog Sevilla from the second spot on the league table.
Barcelona defeated Sevilla 1-0 in their La Liga game on Sunday. The Blaugrana snatched another crucial victory while continuing their six-match winning streak in the league.
A late La Liga title race?
Barcelona came into the match after crushing Real Madrid 4-0 in their last fixture before the international break. The Catalans started the game with confidence but struggled to make serious goalscoring chances in the first half.
The Catalans remained cautious of their opponents’ counter-attacking plans while getting closer and closer to scoring after the interval. They finally broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute, with Pedri once again making a huge impact at Camp Nou.
Following an assist from Ousmane Dembele, the youngster took a few steps behind the box before rifling a precise low shot into the far bottom of the net.
The Catalans slowed the game down after the opener, preventing their opponents from gaining momentum. Their plan worked as Sevilla were not able to create serious chances in the final 20 minutes, leaving behind the three points at Camp Nou.
What’s next for Barca?
Barcelona go second in La Liga after the victory, sitting above Atletico Madrid and Sevilla, thanks to their better goal difference.
The Catalans now have realistic chances of igniting a late title race. However, they need Real Madrid to drop more points as they are currently 12 points behind the league leaders.
Before continuing their La Liga campaign next weekend, Xavi’s side will meet Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie on Thursday.
Player Ratings
Barcelona: Ter Stegen (7), Dani Alves (7), Araujo (7), Pique (8), Alba (7) – De Jong (6), Busquets (6), Pedri (8), Dembele (8), Aubameyang (7), F. Torres (6).
Bench: Gonzalez (6), Gavi (7), Depay (6).
Sevilla: Bono (7), Navas (6), Carlos (6), Kounde (7), Rekik (6), Rakitic (5), Gudelj (6), Jordan (7), Lamela (6), Martial (5), Ocampos (5).
Bench: Augustinsson (6), Mir (6), En-Nesyri (5), Corona (5), Montiel (5).
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