Barcelona’s shaky start under Hansi Flick took a serious hit on Sunday as they were well beaten 4-1 by Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, ending their unbeaten run in LaLiga and ruining their chance to move back to the top of the table.
Sevilla dominate from the start
Sevilla took the lead in the 13th minute via a penalty. After a VAR review for a foul on Isaac Romero near Barça’s six-yard box, Alexis Sánchez stepped up and converted confidently.
Romero then added a second goal following a sharp counterattack. Rubén Vargas beat Barcelona’s high defensive line and found Romero, who finished first time.
Barcelona briefly showed signs of life just before halftime when Marcus Rashford curled home a lob from Pedri into the net, cutting the deficit to 2-1. But that would prove to be as good as it got.
Missed chances and late collapse
In the second half, Barcelona had a chance to level when Alejandro Balde was brought down in the box by Adnan Januzaj, earning Barça a penalty. But Robert Lewandowski missed the spot kick, firing wide.
Sevilla sealed the match with two more goals in the dying moments. José Ángel Carmona made it 3-1, slotting the ball past a defender, and Akor Adams added a fourth in stoppage time.
What went wrong for Barcelona
Barcelona looked flat, particularly in the first half. Midfielder Pedri was highly critical after the game, pointing to a lack of intensity, poor defensive shape, and inability to handle Sevilla’s pressure and counterattacks.
Coach Flick defended the system, saying it was not the tactical setup that failed but rather individual errors and a weak opening period.
Looking ahead
Sevilla’s win lifts them to fourth place in the table with 13 points from eight matches. Barcelona remain in second, with 19 points, two behind Real Madrid.
Both teams now head into the international break: Sevilla will face Mallorca, while Barcelona will host Girona after the pause. It’s a timely stretch for Barça to reset.
Final thoughts
This defeat raises serious questions for Barça. The miss from Lewandowski from the penalty spot was a big moment; the team’s lack of sharpness in transitions, defensive errors, and apparent lack of control under pressure all contributed. Sevilla were ruthless, and Barcelona paid the price.
If they want to be genuine contenders this season, they must rediscover consistency, urgency, and quality — especially away from home. The international break offers time, but the upcoming matches will demand improvement.
