In one of the most shocking results of the LaLiga season, Sevilla delivered a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Barcelona at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, ending the visitors’ perfect start to the campaign. The emphatic triumph marked Sevilla’s first victory over Barcelona in their last 19 LaLiga encounters, breaking a decade-long drought that stretched back to October 2015.
What made this result even more remarkable was the manner of the victory. Sevilla didn’t just beat Barcelona; they outplayed them tactically, physically, and mentally. With an attendance of around 41,000 creating an electric atmosphere, Matías Almeyda’s side produced a performance that will be remembered as one of the defining moments of their season, while simultaneously dealing a significant blow to Barcelona’s title aspirations.
Moments of the Match
13′ – Alexis Sánchez Penalty Goal (1-0): VAR awarded a spot-kick after Araujo’s clumsy challenge on Romero. Former Blaugrana calmly converted into the bottom corner.
36′ – Isaac Romero Goal (2-0): Vargas provided an inch-perfect cross after exploiting Barcelona’s high defensive line brilliantly to a precise right-footed strike by the Spanish Forward
45+7′ – Marcus Rashford Goal (2-1): Pedri’s exquisite lob ball found Rashford, who volleyed expertly into the roof of the net.
76′ – Robert Lewandowski Missed Penalty: Polish striker fired wide of the left post, wasting a crucial chance to equalize the match.
90′ – José Ángel Carmona Goal (3-1): The Fullback sealed victory with a precise finish into the bottom-left corner from Agoume’s assist.
90+6′ – Akor Adams Goal (4-1): Adams completed the rout with a clinical finish on a fast break, assisted by Ejuke.
The match was marked by significant aggression from both sides, with a total of 12 yellow cards distributed throughout the encounter. Sevilla accumulated 7 yellow cards while Barcelona received 5, reflecting the intense and combative nature of this high-stakes fixture as tempers flared consistently during the 90 minutes
Top Performers of the Match
Isaac Romero (Sevilla): The striker’s persistence finally paid dividends as he converted his fourth opportunity brilliantly. Having missed three earlier chances, Romero showed mental strength to finish Vargas’ cross clinically, securing his third league goal of the campaign.
José Ángel Carmona (Sevilla): The right-back delivered a masterclass in attacking full-back play, constantly overlapping and providing width. His 90th-minute goal was the reward for an outstanding all-round performance that combined defensive solidity with attacking threat throughout.
Marcus Rashford (Barcelona): The English forward was Barcelona’s brightest spark, taking his goal superbly and creating constant problems for Sevilla’s defense. His movement and finishing ability have made him indispensable, leading all Barcelona players with seven goal contributions this season.
Disappointments of the Match
Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona): The Polish striker endured a nightmare afternoon, culminating in his crucial penalty miss that could have changed the game’s trajectory. His overall play was lethargic, failing to impose himself physically or create meaningful chances despite Barcelona’s dominance of possession.
Ronald Araujo (Barcelona): The Uruguayan defender looked rattled throughout, giving away the early penalty with a needless challenge and struggling to cope with Sevilla’s pace on the counter-attack. His positioning was frequently questionable, contributing significantly to Barcelona’s defensive frailties, leading to him being subbed off after 1st Half.
Almeyda’s Tactical Brilliance
Matías Almeyda’s decision to abandon his usual 3-4-3 formation in favor of a 4-3-3 setup proved inspired. The tactical switch allowed Sevilla to deploy intense pressing in midfield, effectively neutralizing Pedri and De Jong’s influence while creating numerical superiority in central areas. The formation change provided better width through Vargas and Sánchez, who consistently stretched Barcelona’s defense. Most crucially, the compact midfield trio of Agoume, Mendy, and Sow disrupted Barcelona’s possession-based approach, forcing them into hurried decisions and creating numerous turnover opportunities that Sevilla exploited ruthlessly.
Barcelona were once again wasteful in front of goal today, managing only one goal despite registering an expected goals xG of 2.10. This clinical deficiency highlighted their ongoing finishing problems, as they failed to capitalize on numerous scoring opportunities against Sevilla’s defense, especially after Bardhgji was subbed in, ultimately contributing to their shocking defeat.
This victory has undoubtedly rekindled Sevilla’s home form and provided a massive boost to their season. Having struggled in recent campaigns, breaking their 19-game winless streak against Barcelona in such emphatic fashion will give the squad enormous confidence moving forward. The comprehensive nature of the performance, from tactical discipline to individual brilliance, suggests Almeyda’s methods are finally taking root at the Andalusian club.
For Barcelona, heading into the international break with this devastating defeat represents a major concern for Hansi Flick’s side. Following back-to-back defeats against PSG in the Champions League and now Sevilla, cracks are beginning to appear in what seemed like an invincible start to the season. The timing couldn’t be worse, with crucial fixtures awaiting after the break: The Catalan Derby against Girona, hosting Olympiacos in the Champions League, and most importantly, El Clásico against Now Table-toppers Real Madrid. Flick must use this break wisely to address the tactical and mental issues exposed by Sevilla, as failure to recover could see their title hopes evaporate before October ends.
