Sevilla has managed to completely surprise the Catalan powerhouses on this anxious Sunday afternoon, ending FC Barcelona’s unbeaten streak in La Liga.
It’s been obvious since the first whistle that Hansi Flick’s troops haven’t really arrived yet. Sevilla, the host team, has set the tempo, displaying more vigour and resolve during the first half. A VAR review resulted in a penalty in their favour, rewarding their early domination.
In a poor challenge, Barça captain Ronald Araújo left his leg out, drawing the referee’s attention from the sidelines. When the verdict went against Araújo, his response was clear: he turned to the referee in shock.
Alexis Sánchez, a player who has played for Barcelona in the past, converted the penalty with composure. However, the visitors were unable to settle into a rhythm even after giving up. Sevilla kept generating risky openings and cutting through Barça’s defence with unsettling ease.
Just before halftime, Isaac had a fantastic opportunity to double the lead but missed from close range. Moments later, though, he made amends by completing an incredible counterattack to make it 2-0 and send the home crowd into a frenzy.
Ramon Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium was alive with the cheers and screams of jubilant Sevilla fans. However, Marcus Rashford, one of Barcelona’s main offensive threats, managed to pull one back in stoppage time, scoring in the seventh minute of extra time before halfway to make it 2-1, somewhat dampening their celebrations.
Barça might have needed that goal as a spark. Now, the crucial question is: has Hansi Flick’s side finally come to life? Whether Barcelona can make a comeback or lose their hold on the top spot in the La Liga will be determined in the second half.
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