Barcelona Overcome Red Card to Secure Comfortable Victory
Barcelona moved within two points of La Liga leaders Real Madrid with a dominant 4-1 win over Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium on Sunday night.
Despite playing the final 30 minutes with 10 men after Fermin Lopez received a red card, Hansi Flick’s side held firm and extended their unbeaten run in 2025.
Match Summary
- Robert Lewandowski gave Barcelona the lead in the 8th minute, finishing off Inigo Martinez’s header at the back post.
- Sevilla equalized immediately through Ruben Vargas, who slotted home after Saul Niguez played him through.
- Substitute Fermin Lopez restored Barcelona’s lead early in the second half, heading in a perfect Pedri cross.
- Raphinha extended the lead nine minutes later, finishing brilliantly into the bottom corner after receiving Pau Cubarsi’s pass.
- Lopez’s eventful cameo ended in the 62nd minute when he was sent off for a reckless, studs-up challenge on Djibril Sow.
- Despite going down to 10 men, Eric Garcia sealed the win, heading in Raphinha’s free-kick to make it 4-1.
Player Ratings & Key Performances
Sevilla (4-3-3)
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| GK: Orjan Nyland | 5.9/10 |
| RB: Juanlu Sanchez | 5.8/10 |
| CB: Loic Bade | 5.7/10 |
| CB: Nemanja Gudelj | 5.9/10 |
| LB: Marcos Acuna | 6.0/10 |
| CM: Saul Niguez | 6.3/10 |
| CM: Djibril Sow | 5.8/10 |
| CM: Lucas Ocampos | 6.0/10 |
| RW: Dodi Lukebakio | 6.2/10 |
| ST: Youssef En-Nesyri | 5.5/10 |
| LW: Ruben Vargas | 7.0/10 ⭐ (Best Sevilla Player) |
| SUB: Suso (61′ for Ocampos) | 5.6/10 |
| SUB: Oliver Torres (74′ for Vargas) | 5.7/10 |
| SUB: Kike Salas (81′ for Niguez) | 5.5/10 |
Barcelona (4-2-3-1)
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| GK: Wojciech Szczesny | 6.8/10 |
| RB: Jules Kounde | 7.2/10 |
| CB: Pau Cubarsi | 8.0/10 |
| CB: Inigo Martinez | 7.5/10 |
| LB: Alejandro Balde | 6.9/10 |
| CM: Pedri | 8.4/10 ⭐ (Man of the Match) |
| CM: Oriol Romeu | 6.8/10 |
| RW: Raphinha | 8.3/10 |
| AM: Ilkay Gundogan | 7.1/10 |
| LW: Joao Felix | 6.5/10 |
| ST: Robert Lewandowski | 8.0/10 |
| SUB: Fermin Lopez (46′ for Romeu) | 7.2/10 (Goal & Red Card – 17 mins played) |
| SUB: Eric Garcia (74′ for Cubarsi) | 7.6/10 (Scored the 4th Goal) |
| SUB: Joao Cancelo (80′ for Balde) | 6.3/10 |
| SUB: Ferran Torres (80′ for Raphinha) | 6.2/10 |
Match Talking Points
1. Barcelona’s Title Push Gains Momentum
- With Real Madrid dropping points against Atletico, Barcelona closed the gap to just two points at the top of La Liga.
- Hansi Flick’s team has now won seven straight games against Sevilla and remains unbeaten against them since 2021.
2. Robert Lewandowski’s Lethal Form
- The Polish striker has now scored 8 goals in his last 8 shots on target.
- With 31 goals in all competitions, he is the top scorer in Europe’s big five leagues.
3. Fermin Lopez’s Rollercoaster Cameo
- Lopez scored within minutes of coming on, then received a red card just 17 minutes later.
- He became the second Barcelona player this century to score and be sent off as a substitute (after Vitor Roque in February 2024).
4. Raphinha’s Influence Grows
- The Brazilian winger scored a brilliant goal and assisted Eric Garcia’s header, continuing his excellent form.
5. Sevilla’s Struggles Continue
- Sevilla hasn’t beaten Barcelona in nine home games.
- They sit 12th in La Liga and face a tough fight to secure European football next season.
What’s Next?
- Barcelona will look to keep the pressure on Real Madrid as they face Celta Vigo next weekend.
- Sevilla must bounce back when they travel to Real Betis for the Seville Derby.
📌 Final Verdict: Barcelona’s quality shines through, despite Lopez’s red card, as they maintain their title push with a commanding away win. 🚀
