Barcelona missed the chance to reclaim top spot in La Liga after suffering a crushing 4-1 defeat to Sevilla on Sunday — their heaviest loss to the Andalusian side since 1951.
Needing a win to leapfrog Real Madrid, the defending champions endured a miserable afternoon as Hansi Flick’s men were outplayed and handed their first league defeat of the season.
Former Barcelona winger Alexis Sanchez opened the scoring from the penalty spot after captain Ronald Araujo brought down Isaac Romero by the byline. Romero then doubled Sevilla’s lead with a sharp finish from a swift counter-attack.
Barcelona pulled one back before half-time when Marcus Rashford volleyed in Pedri’s cross, offering brief hope of a comeback. But that momentum quickly faded as Robert Lewandowski missed a crucial second-half penalty after Adnan Januzaj fouled Alejandro Balde.
Sevilla’s resilient defence held firm before late goals from Jose Angel Carmona and Akor Adams sealed a memorable victory for the hosts, deepening Barcelona’s woes after their midweek Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
The defeat leaves Barcelona two points behind leaders Real Madrid, while Sevilla climb to fifth — though they could be overtaken by Atletico Madrid if they beat Celta Vigo later on Sunday.
