An own goal from Sergio Ramos saw FC Barcelona claim victory over Sevilla and return to the top of LaLiga on Friday night.
LaLiga
Result: Barcelona 1-0 Sevilla
Date: 29 September 2023
Venue: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys
Blaugrana recalled Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, Andreas Christensen and Jules Kounde as four changes following their draw against Mallorca.
Barca saw a lot of the ball in the opening exchanges and Joao Felix had their first chance on 13 minutes with a low strike that was kept out of the bottom corner by Orjan Nyland.
The game opened up, with Sevilla also asking Barcelona questions but Felix came the closest to giving the hosts again midway through the first stanza with a shot that came off the underside of the crossbar.
The visitors also came close to breaking the deadlock on the half-hour mark after Lucas Ocampos was denied by goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen from close-range.
Xavi was forced to make a change eight minutes before the interval after Raphinha went down with injury and he was replaced by Fermin Lopez and the sides went to the break still deadlocked.
Sevilla made things difficult for Barca early in the second stanza, as they did not allow them spaces in and around their box. With clear chances hard to come by, Xavi made an attacking with 20 minutes to go, as Ferran Torres replaced Felix for fresh legs.
Jose Luis Medilibar's men were a threat on transitions as Ivan Rakitic came close to breaking the deadlock 16 minutes before time with a header that missed the top corner by inches after a cross by Erik Lamela.
The Catalans finally found their way behind the Sevilla defence two minutes later, as they took the lead after Sergio Ramos misdirected Yamal's cut-back header into his own net, after the ball came off his shin.
The game was on the edge in dying minutes and the best chance fell to Lewandowski for Barca in stoppage time but his close-range shot was crucially blocked away from goal by Ramos.
Blaugrana managed to slow down the tempo of the game and held on to a win that took them back to the top of the table, although they have played an extra game and just one point ahead of second-placed Girona and two points clear of third-placee Real Madrid.
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