Match ends, Barcelona 2, Sevilla 1.
BarcelonaBarcelona2SevillaSevilla1
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
Formation 4-4-2
- 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
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 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
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Barcelona 2, Sevilla 1.
Booking
Lionel Messi (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Foul by Lionel Messi (Barcelona).
Post update
Sergio Escudero (Sevilla) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Offside, Sevilla. Steven N'Zonzi tries a through ball, but Sébastien Corchia is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Javier Mascherano replaces Ivan Rakitic.
Post update
Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Jesús Navas (Sevilla).
Post update
Lionel Messi (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Clément Lenglet (Sevilla).
Post update
Luis Suárez (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Nolito (Sevilla).
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) because of an injury.
Post update
Foul by Luis Suárez (Barcelona).
Post update
Guido Pizarro (Sevilla) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Jordi Alba (Barcelona).
Post update
Jesús Navas (Sevilla) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt saved. Éver Banega (Sevilla) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Wissam Ben Yedder.
