In La Liga, leaders FC Barcelona increase their point advantage over Real Madrid with a win against Sevilla

FC Barcelona (1st) extended its lead over Real Madrid (2nd) to eight points by beating Sevilla (14th) 3-0 at home, taking advantage of the 1-0 defeat of the white team in Mallorca (10th), this Sunday in the 20th day of the League.

Almost an hour it took Barcelona to unbalance the duel. First Jordi Alba (58) entered the area and managed to score after an assist from Franck Kessie from Ivory Coast.

Raphinha’s time

With the game in favor, it was time for the Brazilian Raphinha, far from his best version so far in his first season as a Barça player and who has a good opportunity to take a step forward with Ousmane Dembele’s injury.

At 2-0, he maneuvered from the right and knew how to read Gavi’s entry to the far post, who only had to push the ball at will (70).

He crowned his remarkable evening with a goal breaking through the middle to take advantage of a pass into the heart of the area from Jordi Alba (79). Four minutes later he received an ovation from the Camp Nou when Xavi replaced him with Ferran Torres.

The azulgranas had started the game badly, with their captain Sergio Busquets leaving due to injury, injured in the left ankle after a duel with the Moroccan Youssef En-Nesyri (8).

It was Barcelona’s fourth consecutive win, this time without suffering, which gives them confidence for their Europa League tie against Manchester United.

Sevilla, led by Jorge Sampaoli, once again raises doubts after the improvement in the last two games. He needs wins to get away from relegation.

Earlier, Real Madrid, deprived of several injured players, including Frenchman Karim Benzema (right knee) and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (he felt discomfort in his adductors in the warm-up of the match), lost with a goal in the 13th minute from Nacho Fernández in his own goal, by deflecting a cross with his head.

Real Madrid was able to equalize in the 59th minute, when Marco Asensio missed a penalty against the team from his land and in which he formed.

Participation in the World Cup

This defeat comes at a bad time for the Madrid team, since Carlo Ancelotti’s men, already estranged in La Liga, play in three days against Egyptian Al-Ahly in the Club World Cup, three weeks before the round of 16 duel Champions League against Liverpool.

“It is a defeat that hurts a lot. The game we’ve played in general hasn’t been bad, the conceded goal and the penalty have affected us a lot”, stated the Real Madrid coach, Ancelotti.

“The game wasn’t bad, but it was atypical, with many interruptions, we didn’t have a cool head in the first half, although much more so in the second. This affects the League, but now we have to think about the World Cup, we arrived with great enthusiasm, with difficulties, but we will handle it in the best way”, added the Italian.

The third classified in the League, Real Sociedad, was also slowed down, in its case when it fell 1-0 in its stadium against Valladolid (13th). (D)