Football

Barcelona's relentless attacking prowess was on full display as they cruised to a resounding 5-1 victory over Sevilla at Camp Nou on Sunday. The triumph extends their lead at the summit of La Liga to three points ahead of arch-rivals Real Madrid, setting the stage for an enthralling Clasico next weekend.Robert Lewandowski, the Polish marksman, continued his prolific form, netting twice to take his tally to 12 goals in just 10 La Liga appearances. The veteran striker's goals were complemented by a brace from Pablo Torre, who came off the bench to add to Sevilla's misery. Pedri Gonzalez also got on the scoresheet with a well-taken effort from the edge of the box.Barcelona's dominance was evident from the outset, with Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez, and Gavi all returning from injury to bolster their bench. Ansu Fati made his first start of the season, while Raphinha slotted into a central attacking midfield role.The Catalans took the lead from the penalty spot after Raphinha was brought down in the box. Lewandowski coolly converted the spot-kick, sending Sevilla goalkeeper Orjan Nyland the wrong way. Pedri doubled the advantage shortly after, capitalizing on a clever assist from Lamine Yamal.Lewandowski's second goal came just before the break, as he guided Raphinha's drive into the net with a deft flick. Sevilla's woes were compounded by the loss of winger Chidera Ejuke to injury.Barcelona continued to dominate in the second half, with Yamal producing an audacious shot from distance that Nyland somehow managed to save. Torre made it 4-0 with a deflected effort, before Gavi made his long-awaited return as a substitute, receiving a rapturous reception from the home crowd.Sevilla managed to pull one back through Stanis Idumbo, but Torre sealed the victory with a fortunate free-kick that crept in at the far post. The result leaves Sevilla languishing in 13th place, while Barcelona head into the Clasico with renewed confidence and a three-point cushion at the top of the table.

Xavi Hernandez's tenure as Barcelona coach came to an end with a bittersweet 2-1 victory at Sevilla on Sunday, marking the conclusion of the La Liga season. Despite finishing second, the Catalans ended the campaign trophyless, but they managed to secure a triumph in Xavi's final match before his departure.Xavi's departure was announced by club president Joan Laporta on Friday, just weeks after Barcelona had declared that he would remain for the following season. The coach had previously stated in January that he intended to resign in the summer.Appointed in November 2021, Xavi led Barcelona to the Spanish title last season. However, this year, his team finished 10 points behind bitter rivals and champions Real Madrid. German coach Hansi Flick is expected to be named as Xavi's successor next week.Xavi acknowledged the challenges that await his replacement. "They should be aware that they are entering a difficult situation because Barca is a demanding club, and there is also an unfavorable financial situation – it will not be easy at all," he told DAZN."I believe that the work we have done has not been sufficiently valued given the difficult circumstances we inherited. When we arrived, Barca was ninth in the table, and we finished second... (then) we won a double, and this year we fell short due to four crucial games."Barcelona suffered defeats in both matches against Real Madrid in La Liga, as well as against third-place neighbors Girona and Villarreal. They ended on a positive note, however, with a victory at Sevilla's Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium.Robert Lewandowski gave Barcelona an early lead, but Youssef En-Nesyri equalized for Sevilla, whose coach Quique Sanchez Flores is also leaving at the end of the season.One of Xavi's accomplishments during his tenure has been the promotion of young players, including starlets Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, as well as midfielder Fermin Lopez. The 21-year-old put Barcelona back in front in the second half with a low strike from outside the area. Lopez celebrated his goal by embracing Xavi."As a professional, he has given us so much; he worked tirelessly every day for our success," Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen told DAZN. "We are extremely grateful for his time here. We wish him the best – on a personal level, he has been a friend for many years, and it is never easy to see him go."Before the game, some Sevilla fans protested against the board, wearing black and entering the game 10 minutes late, following another disappointing campaign in which the Andalusians finished 14th.

Celta Vigo's dramatic 3-2 victory over Villarreal on Sunday has boosted their chances of La Liga survival, while Granada's 3-0 defeat at Sevilla has all but sealed their relegation.Anastasios Douvikas' late goal secured Celta's triumph at Balaidos against a depleted Villarreal side, who had Santi Comesana dismissed after just 17 minutes for a reckless tackle. The Galicians now hold an eight-point advantage over the relegation zone with four matches remaining.Granada's hopes of avoiding the drop took a significant blow with their heavy defeat at Sevilla. The Andalucians appear destined to join Almeria in the second division next season, while Cadiz, currently 18th, still harbor hopes of salvation.Despite losing to Real Madrid on Saturday, Villarreal's chances of survival were boosted by Rayo Vallecano's 1-0 defeat at Almeria on Sunday. Cadiz trail Mallorca by six points and Rayo and Celta by eight.Alaves dealt a blow to Valencia's European aspirations with a 1-0 victory at Mestalla, leaving Ruben Baraja's team eighth in the standings. Real Betis, seventh, secured a 2-0 win at Osasuna to move five points clear of Valencia in the race for European football. With Copa del Rey champions Athletic Bilbao already guaranteed a Europa League spot, a top-seven finish will secure continental qualification.