Sevilla paid the price: Barcelona avoid their "naive" mistakes with a familiar weapon
Barcelona beat Sevilla 3-1 in the seventh round of the Spanish league on Saturday. The Catalans switched their approach at the break, turning a difficult, pressured start into a commanding attacking display. Once they imposed their rhythm and seized control, they punished Sevilla for taking the lead, a win that proved once again they can change the course of a match when the intensity rises.
The victory kept Barcelona top of La Liga on 21 points. Sevilla stayed on 13 in sixth.
Sevilla stun Flick
Barcelona went in level at 1-1, having faced a far tougher test than expected on the road. Sevilla's high, organised press forced the Catalans to ditch their usual build-up and go long.
Nor did Sevilla settle for pressing only in the first third. They closed down space just as effectively when they dropped into their own half, making it hard for Barcelona to work the ball out and reach dangerous areas with any regularity.
Fofana put the hosts ahead in the 19th minute, exploiting one of the gaps behind Barcelona's defence. Raphinha struck back two minutes later, and his equaliser captured exactly what Barça needed against this kind of pressure: a more direct route in behind the defensive line.
Composure was another problem. Barcelona too often rushed their offensive transitions before enough players had joined the attack, leaving the side without a stable defensive shape whenever they lost the ball.
Sevilla, by contrast, looked sharp when they pressed and then shut down space inside their defensive third, choking Barcelona's supply of chances.
Pedri never hit his best in the first half. Gordon looked well short of the required impact. Lamine Yamal, though, remained Barcelona's most dangerous outlet, going close with a shot that nearly changed the course of the match.
Barcelona turn the match on its head
Barcelona were a completely different side in the second half. Sevilla's pressure had troubled them before the break, but they dealt far better with the individual pressing after the interval, forcing the hosts to retreat. From there they imposed greater control over the run of play and cut their threat right down.
They didn't stop there. Quick, vertical movements kept coming, built clearly on runs in behind the defence and the constant movement of forwards and midfielders to open up space. Barcelona have multiple solutions to deal with pressure and reshape a match, and here they proved it.
Rodri the unsung hero: Raphinha becomes a decisive weapon
Rodri stood out in particular during Barcelona's transformation. He gave the team greater balance in front of the defence, often dropping back alongside the two centre-backs to help build attacks and disrupt Sevilla's efforts. His movement and positioning opened up passing lanes for teammates and kept the attacks flowing.
Raphinha carried his fine form into the second half up front, showing he could perform the role of an out-and-out striker effectively, while Yamal remained a constant source of danger.
Hansi Flick said after the match that Raphinha's impressive display as a striker came as no surprise. He pointed out that the winger's considerable mobility and his ability to move into space give him a clear advantage.
Flick admits the mistakes
Flick admitted the win came the hard way. His side gave away too many easy balls, and at half-time he demanded more possession from his midfielders. Their passing accuracy fell short of what he wanted, and too many balls were lost through "naivety".
Sevilla, meanwhile, couldn't fashion a real chance after the break. Barcelona tightened up defensively and dealt comfortably with everything the hosts threw at them, while Sevilla's attacking changes added little. Barcelona grew into the details as the minutes ticked by, protecting their lead and shutting the door on any comeback.
