Raphinha hat trick lifts Barcelona past Sevilla 5-2

Raphinha scored twice from the penalty spot and added a third as Barcelona routed Sevilla 5-2 at Camp Nou on Sunday.espn
Dani Olmo and João Cancelo also scored as Hansi Flick rested Lamine Yamal until the 67th minute ahead of the Newcastle Champions League tie.espn
The result lifts Barcelona to 70 points, four clear of Real Madrid, who had briefly cut the gap to one point by beating Elche on Saturday.apnews

Barcelona Routs Sevilla 5-2 as Raphinha Hat-Trick Restores Four-Point La Liga Lead

Barcelona cruised past Sevilla 5-2 at Camp Nou on Sunday, with Raphinha scoring a hat-trick to reclaim a four-point cushion over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. The victory, Barcelona’s fourth consecutive league win, came a day after Madrid had temporarily narrowed the gap to one point with a 4-1 win over Elche on Saturday.espn

Raphinha Stars in Dominant Display

Hansi Flick’s side wasted no time asserting control. João Cancelo was fouled in the box after just seven minutes, and Raphinha stepped up to open the scoring with a Panenka-style penalty that deceived goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos. Cancelo caused more problems in the Sevilla area, earning a second penalty in the 18th minute, which Raphinha converted despite Vlachodimos getting a touch on the ball.apnews

Dani Olmo extended the lead to 3-0 in the 38th minute, striking first time from inside the area after Marc Bernal’s cross. Sevilla gave themselves a lifeline before halftime when Oso met a Juanlu Sanchez cross with a well-placed volley in stoppage time.espn

Raphinha completed his hat-trick six minutes into the second half, his shot taking a deflection off Nemanja Gudelj and looping over the goalkeeper. Cancelo then capped a fine individual performance in the 60th minute, picking up the ball on the halfway line and driving into the area before cutting inside and shooting through Vlachodimos’s legs and in off the post. Djibril Sow headed in a late consolation for Sevilla in stoppage time.espn

Eyes Turn to Champions League

The emphatic win served as a confidence boost ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League Round of 16 second leg against Newcastle, after Barcelona needed a Lamine Yamal penalty with the last kick of the game to rescue a 1-1 draw in the first leg. Flick opted to rest the teenage star, keeping Yamal on the bench until the 67th minute.espn

The match also saw the return of Gavi as a substitute, receiving a warm ovation from the Camp Nou crowd after a long injury absence. Barcelona’s 12th successive home win since returning to their renovated stadium in November took their goal tally at Camp Nou in that run to 39. The result leaves Barcelona on 70 points, four clear of Madrid, with Sevilla sitting 14th on 31 points.elbotola