Barcelona Crumble at Sevilla Despite Rashford Stunner – 4-1

Barcelona Thrashed at Sevilla Despite Rashford Goal – 4-1

Barcelona missed the opportunity to reclaim top spot in La Liga, suffering a crushing 4-1 defeat to Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium. Despite a moment of brilliance from Marcus Rashford, the reigning champions endured their worst loss against Sevilla since 1951.

Disastrous Title Blow for Barca

Heading into the match trailing leaders Real Madrid by a single point, Barcelona knew a win would send them back to the summit. Instead, Hansi Flick’s side produced one of their poorest displays of the season, slumping to a heavy defeat just days after their midweek Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain.

 It was Barcelona’s first La Liga defeat of the season.

 They had not lost to Sevilla in the league for over a decade.

First-Half Drama: Penalties, Counters & Rashford’s Volley

The tone was set early when Ronald Araujo conceded a penalty, bundling over Isaac Romero by the byline. Former Barcelona winger Alexis Sanchez stepped up and calmly slotted home to open the scoring.

Romero then added a second, finishing off a sharp counter-attack as Sevilla doubled their lead before half-time.

Just when it looked bleak for Barca, Marcus Rashford gave them a lifeline with a stunning left-footed volley from Pedri’s deep cross in first-half stoppage time. It was Rashford’s second goal since joining Barcelona this summer and a rare bright spot on a forgettable day.

Lewandowski Misses Crucial Penalty

Barcelona had a golden opportunity to equalize midway through the second half when Adnan Januzaj brought down Alejandro Balde in the area. But Robert Lewandowski, normally clinical from the spot, dragged his penalty wide of the post, deflating Barca’s momentum.

Lewandowski has now missed 2 of his last 5 penalties for club and country.

Late Collapse: Carmona and Adams Seal It

Barcelona pushed forward in search of a late equalizer, but it backfired. Sevilla stayed compact and punished them on the break.

• José Ángel Carmona made it 3-1 with a powerful finish from the edge of the box in the 86th minute.

• Two minutes later, Akor Adams capped off a brilliant team move with a fourth goal to seal the emphatic win.

Flick Under Pressure as Title Race Heats Up

The defeat leaves Barcelona two points behind Real Madrid, who top the table, while Sevilla rise to fifth, awaiting Atletico Madrid’s result against Celta Vigo later on Sunday.

Hansi Flick, still early in his tenure, is now facing criticism after back-to-back losses and a leaky defence.

 “We made individual errors, and Sevilla punished every one,” said Flick post-match.

“We need to show a stronger reaction after the break.”

What’s Next?

Barcelona have a much-needed international break to regroup. Their next fixtures include:

• Real Sociedad (La Liga)

• Inter Milan (Champions League)

• Valencia (La Liga)

Meanwhile, Sevilla’s momentum continues as they climb the table, with upcoming clashes against Real Betis and Granada.

Final Word

Rashford’s volley gave Barcelona hope, but a missed Lewandowski penalty, poor defending, and clinical Sevilla finishing condemned them to a historic defeat. With Madrid showing no signs of slowing, Barcelona’s margin for error in the title race has evaporated.