Barcelona delivered a masterclass performance on Sunday, demolishing Sevilla 5-2 at Spotify Camp Nou in a dominant La Liga display. Raphinha bagged a hat-trick as Barcelona thrashed Sevilla 5-2 to restore their four-point lead at the top of La Liga.
The Brazilian winger was simply unstoppable, lighting up the pitch with three goals in what turned out to be a one-sided affair. Dani Olmo and João Cancelo were also on target as Hansi Flick's side warmed up impressively ahead of their crucial Champions League clash against Newcastle on Wednesday. Barcelona were handed two penalties by a sorry Sevilla side to get off to the perfect start at the partially-rebuilt Camp Nou, which finally received clearance to open the north stand.
Barcelona increased their points tally to 70, maintaining their lead at the top of La Liga, four points clear of rivals Real Madrid in second place. Sevilla, meanwhile, sits in 14th position with 31 points. This commanding victory marks sweet revenge for Barcelona, who suffered a shocking 4-1 defeat to Sevilla back in October. Though Sevilla managed to score twice—through Oso and Djibril Sow—the damage was already done, and Barcelona cruised to victory with complete control throughout the match.
The Blaugrana will now shift focus to their Champions League second leg against Newcastle, where they'll look to build on their strong form. "A lot of things are going in a good way. Some situations on the pitch are not great, but for me it's OK," said Barcelona manager Hansi Flick after the game. "Three points more, one game less, we scored five goals, but in the beginning we don't play with this conviction I want to see." With the title race heating up, Barcelona's consistency at home continues to be their greatest strength.