Match ends, Barcelona 2, Sevilla 1.
Alcacer scores two as Barca beat Sevilla
- From the section European Football
Paco Alcacer scored twice as La Liga leaders Barcelona battled past Sevilla during a rain-soaked contest.
The forward, 24, played alongside celebrated pair Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez but outshone both with a goal either side of the interval.
He slotted home his first after 23 minutes from Suarez's long pass.
Sevilla equalised after the break when Guido Pizarro headed in, but Alcacer put Barca back in front soon after when he poked in Ivan Rakitic's cross.
The former Valencia and Getafe forward also headed over from close range, while team-mate Gerard Pique saw his shot come off the crossbar.
Messi produced another mesmeric display, albeit without getting on the scoresheet. The closest the Argentine came to scoring was when his low drive was palmed away by goalkeeper David Soria.
Sevilla also went close through Luis Muriel, whose two long-distance strikes narrowly missed Marc-Andre ter Stegen's goal. The German keeper had little to do and was thankful to Nelson Semedo, who produced a great block to prevent Pablo Sarabia from testing him.
Barcelona have a four-point lead at the top of La Liga, with Valencia second, Atletico Madrid third and Real Madrid, who play Las Palmas on Sunday, fourth. Sevilla remain in fifth.
Earlier, Valencia took their tally of league goals to 30 - level with Barcelona - with a 3-0 win over Leganes. Dani Parejo, Rodrigo and Santi Mina, with a penalty, ensured Los Che continued their great start to the season.
Both Barca and Valencia are unbeaten, as are Atletico, although they have drawn five of their 11 games. On Saturday, they avoided a sixth draw thanks to Thomas Partey's 25-yard stoppage-time effort against Deportivo La Coruna.
Line-ups
Barcelona
- 1ter Stegen
- 2Nélson Semedo
- 3Piqué
- 23Umtiti
- 18Alba
- 17AlcácerSubstituted forDeulofeuat 66'minutes
- 5Busquets
- 4RakiticSubstituted forMascheranoat 90'minutes
- 8IniestaSubstituted forPaulinhoat 60'minutes
- 10MessiBooked at 90mins
- 9Suárez
Substitutes
- 6D Suárez
- 13Cillessen
- 14Mascherano
- 15Paulinho
- 16Deulofeu
- 19Digne
- 25Vermaelen
Sevilla
- 13Soria
- 2Corchia
- 4KjaerSubstituted forGeisat 73'minutes
- 5Lenglet
- 18Escudero
- 15N'Zonzi
- 14Pizarro
- 16Navas
- 10Banega
- 17SarabiaSubstituted forNolitoat 62'minutes
- 20MurielSubstituted forBen Yedderat 76'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Rico
- 3Carole
- 9Ben Yedder
- 12Geis
- 19de Lima
- 22Vázquez
- 24Nolito
- Referee:
- José Luis González González
- Attendance:
- 69,069
Match Stats
Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamSevilla
- Possession
- Home52%
- Away48%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away3
- Corners
- Home3
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away12
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Barcelona 2, Sevilla 1.
Booking
Lionel Messi (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Lionel Messi (Barcelona).
Sergio Escudero (Sevilla) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Offside, Sevilla. Steven N'Zonzi tries a through ball, but Sébastien Corchia is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Javier Mascherano replaces Ivan Rakitic.
Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jesús Navas (Sevilla).
Lionel Messi (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Clément Lenglet (Sevilla).
Luis Suárez (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Nolito (Sevilla).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) because of an injury.
Foul by Luis Suárez (Barcelona).
Guido Pizarro (Sevilla) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jordi Alba (Barcelona).
Jesús Navas (Sevilla) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Éver Banega (Sevilla) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Wissam Ben Yedder.
Attempt blocked. Guido Pizarro (Sevilla) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Clément Lenglet.
Corner, Sevilla. Conceded by Gerard Piqué.
Substitution
Substitution, Sevilla. Wissam Ben Yedder replaces Luis Muriel.
Foul by Gerard Deulofeu (Barcelona).
Sébastien Corchia (Sevilla) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Gerard Deulofeu (Barcelona) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Samuel Umtiti.
Offside, Barcelona. Paulinho tries a through ball, but Lionel Messi is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Sevilla. Johannes Geis replaces Simon Kjaer.
Offside, Sevilla. Jesús Navas tries a through ball, but Éver Banega is caught offside.
Attempt saved. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Sébastien Corchia (Sevilla).
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Clément Lenglet.
Attempt blocked. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lionel Messi.
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Gerard Deulofeu replaces Paco Alcácer.
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 2, Sevilla 1. Paco Alcácer (Barcelona) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ivan Rakitic with a cross.
Offside, Sevilla. Sébastien Corchia tries a through ball, but Jesús Navas is caught offside.
Gerard Piqué (Barcelona) hits the bar with a right footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Sergio Busquets.
Substitution
Substitution, Sevilla. Nolito replaces Pablo Sarabia.
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Paulinho replaces Andrés Iniesta.