Spanish champions Barcelona suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Sevilla on Sunday in La Liga, with former Barca forward Alexis Sanchez finding the net and Robert Lewandowski missing a crucial penalty that could have changed the game’s momentum.
The loss, Barcelona’s first of the season, leaves them second in the table, two points behind Real Madrid, who beat Villarreal on Saturday, while Sevilla climbed to fourth with the emphatic win.
Veteran Chilean winger Sanchez opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Ronald Araujo brought down Isaac Romero in the box. Romero, who had earlier missed two golden opportunities, made amends soon after with a well-placed finish from Ruben Vargas’s assist to double Sevilla’s lead.
Marcus Rashford briefly restored hope for Barcelona, volleying home Pedri Gonzalez’s cross just before halftime for his first La Liga goal. But the Catalans’ chance to equalise evaporated when Lewandowski fired wide from the spot after substitute Adnan Januzaj fouled Alejandro Balde in the area.
Sevilla punished Barca’s wastefulness late in the game, with Jose Carmona drilling home a low strike past Wojciech Szczesny before Akor Adams sealed the victory to the delight of the home crowd.
The defeat compounded Barcelona’s woes following their late Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the week. Manager Hansi Flick’s side looked disorganised and sluggish, unable to match Sevilla’s pace and determination.
Sanchez, 36, rolled back the years with a composed performance, while Romero and Adams proved clinical against a shaky Barcelona defence. Despite Flick’s halftime substitutions, including Eric Garcia and Alejandro Balde, the Catalans failed to recover from their poor start.
Lewandowski’s missed penalty, his second of the season, summed up Barcelona’s evening, as the champions were thoroughly outplayed by a revitalised Sevilla side.
What You Should Know
Barcelona’s defeat marks their first La Liga loss of the campaign under Hansi Flick, raising concerns about form and consistency after a disappointing Champions League result.
Alexis Sanchez, who once starred for Barca, was instrumental in Sevilla’s victory, reminding fans of his enduring quality at 36.
