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Sevilla logo
La Liga
Nov 6, 2016 at 7.45pm UK
 
Barcelona logo

1-2

Vitolo (15')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Messi (43'), Suarez (61')

Lionel Messi inspired as Barcelona beat Sevilla

Lionel Messi inspires Barcelona as they come back to beat Sevilla and keep pace with Real Madrid.

Lionel Messi scored one goal and set up another as Barcelona came from behind to beat Sevilla and move within two points of leaders Real Madrid.

Los Rojiblancos, who had won all their previous five home games at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, started brightly with Marc-Andre ter Stegen needing to be alert to deny Luciano Vietto in the opening minute.

After continuing to press Barca high up the pitch during the early exchanges, Sevilla capitalised on a mistake from Sergi Roberto and Vitolo slid his close-range effort under the onrushing Ter Stegen, to the delight of a raucous home support.

Vietto turned provider on the half-hour mark as he crossed for Pablo Sarabia, who found himself unmarked with only the German keeper to beat, but the midfielder produced a bizarre flick backward as the hosts squandered the opportunity.

Despite Sevilla dominating much of the first period, Barcelona were able to draw level after Neymar cut inside from the left flank and teed up Messi, whose low curled finish beat Sergio Rico at full stretch.

After the interval, Luis Enrique's side started to get more of a foothold in the game as Rico denied both Luis Suarez and Messi with two saves in as many minutes.

Just after the hour mark, Barca's pressure finally told as Messi drew in a defender before finding Suarez on the right of the box, and the former Liverpool star slotted his effort through the legs of the Sevilla keeper.

On 72 minutes, Suarez almost netted his second of the evening after latching onto Neymar's through-ball before rounding Rico and placing his strike just wide of the left post.

Despite a near miss in the latter stages from Steven N'Zonzi after Ter Stegen flapped at a cross and a penalty appeal for a supposed handball by Samuel Umtiti, Sevilla were unable to produce a late equaliser and slumped to only their second defeat of this campaign under new coach Jorge Sampaoli.

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Written by
Chris O'Keefe
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Luis Enrique at the press conference after Barcelona training on October 18, 2016
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona18122450203038
2Atletico MadridAtletico17115131112038
3Real Madrid17114237162137
4Athletic Bilbao1896327161133
5Mallorca188371821-327
6Villarreal167542827126
7Real Sociedad177461611525
8Osasuna176742225-325
9Real BetisBetis176652021-124
10GironaGirona176472325-222
11Sevilla176471823-522
12Celta Vigo176382528-321
13Rayo Vallecano165561819-120
14Las PalmasLas Palmas175482227-519
15Leganes174671523-818
16Getafe173771114-316
17AlavesAlaves174491928-916
18Espanyol1642101528-1314
19Real ValladolidValladolid1733111234-2212
20Valencia152491323-1010


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