Sevilla 1-1 Barcelona: Catalans miss chance to move into top four
Barcelona missed the chance to move into La Liga‘s top four for the first time since August as they failed to break down 10-man Sevilla at a rain-soaked Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.
Sevilla took the lead in smart fashion as Alejandro ‘Papu’ Gomez swept home a clever free-kick routine from Ivan Rakitic’s pass, but Xavi’s Barcelona equalised on the stroke of half-time when Ronaldo Araujo headed in Ousmane Dembele’s corner.
Barcelona were given more reason for optimism when Sevilla’s Jules Kounde was sent off for throwing a ball at Jordi Alba’s face after he was antagonised by the visiting left-back.
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But despite Gavi heading wide from close range and Dembele striking the post in the final ten minutes, Barcelona were left to rue more points dropped in La Liga, with the Catalans now sitting in seventh, two points behind Rayo Vallecano in fourth.
Meanwhile, Sevilla’s point means Real Madrid now have a five-point lead at the top of La Liga going into Christmas Day.
