Raphinha's hat-trick powered Barcelona to a dominant 5-2 victory over Sevilla at Camp Nou, extending their lead at the top of La Liga.
Entering the fixture, league leaders Barcelona sat comfortably atop the standings with 67 points. Meanwhile, 14th-placed Sevilla sought to improve their mid-table position after a run of draws.
Barcelona wasted no time asserting their dominance. Raphinha opened the scoring in the 9th minute, calmly converting from the penalty spot. He then doubled his tally and Barcelona's lead just 12 minutes later, striking another penalty home in the 21st minute.
The hosts continued to press their advantage. Dani Olmo extended Barcelona's lead to three goals in the 38th minute, slotting a clinical finish past the goalkeeper. Sevilla's G. Suazo received a yellow card shortly before for holding.
Sevilla found a glimmer of hope just before the break. Oso pulled one back for the visitors in the 45+3 minute, guiding a well-placed shot into the net to reduce the shortfall. This offered a lifeline for the second half.
Despite a commanding lead, Barcelona knew Sevilla could still threaten. The visitors, now trailing 3-1, needed a strong second-half performance to mount any comeback attempt. Tactical adjustments were expected from both benches.
Barcelona started the second half with renewed intensity. Raphinha completed his superb hat-trick in the 51st minute, firing home from open play to restore Barcelona's three-goal advantage. The Camp Nou erupted in celebration.
João Cancelo added his name to the scoresheet in the 60th minute, smashing in a powerful strike to make it 5-1. Both teams made multiple substitutions as the game progressed, with Fermín López providing an assist for Raphinha earlier.
Sevilla managed another late consolation goal. D. Sow netted in the 90+2 minute, converting a chance set up by Oso. This final goal did little to change the overall outcome but provided a slightly better look for Sevilla.
The statistics highlighted Barcelona's dominance. They finished with an expected goals (xG) of 3.36 compared to Sevilla's 0.59. Barcelona also boasted 61% possession, 13 total shots (8 on target), while Sevilla managed 9 total shots (4 on target).
This emphatic victory solidifies Barcelona's position at the top of La Liga. Sevilla, despite their late efforts, face a challenging road ahead to climb the table. Barcelona's title charge continues with confidence.
