Barcelona brush aside Sevilla to reignite La Liga hopes
Barcelona reignited their title hopes after Lionel Messi and Ousmane Dembele scored found in a 2-0 victory over Sevilla on Saturday to place them two points behind Atletico Madrid.
Atletico still have two games at hand, the to begin those approaching against sixth-placed Villarreal on Sunday, but a dip in type from La Liga's leaders has given their chasing rivals hope.
Barca looked dead and buried a couple weeks ago but this was their ninth win away of 10 on La Liga, a surge which has put them back contention, with Atletico taking part in against Real Madrid next weekend.
"We've taken lots of big hits and we've got up again," explained Barca's Gerard Pique.
"Of course the title race is on, there is confidence and lots of hope in this workforce."
Sevilla started your day as arguably the form team at the very top, having won all their last six league games, the last five of those without conceding a goal.
However they were second best at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, a dominant efficiency from Barcelona exposing them still as slightly brief of Spain's top three.
It also creates an intriguing back-drop to Wednesday's Copa del Rey semi-final second leg when both of these teams meet up with again, with Barca hoping to overturn a 2-0 deficit in Camp Nou.
Although Pedri and Ronald Araujo could possibly be doubts after both were substituted in the second 1 / 2 with injury problems.
"We believe we can keep coming back but Wednesday is a several game," said trainer Ronald Koeman. "We must play a perfect match, only after that do we've a chance."
Koeman could good stick to his new 3-5-2 program, which saw Jordi Alba and Sergino Dest using as wing-backs before a back 3 and Dembele deployed in advance alongside Messi.
Without Antoine Griezmann, who dropped to the bench, Koeman sacrificed some creative imagination in the ultimate third for control through the center, not to mention the risk of Dembele in behind.
Certainly to find the best part of one hour Sevilla struggled to flee Barcelona's press or establish any sort of sustained pressure, even immediately after Julen Lopetegui introduced three substitutes at half-period and switched formation to match their opponents.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen was passed meet to take up by the group doctor despite hurting his proper thumb found in the warm-up and in reality it had been hardly tested found in the first half.
Barca controlled the overall game and while Alba and Dest hardly ever really advanced as much as Koeman may have liked, Frenkie de Jong and Pedri were a constant threat through the middle, with the speedy Dembele just in front.
Probabilities, though, were few in number and it took a good counter-attack for Barcelona to take the lead.
Fernando gave the ball apart cheaply in advance and two passes were more than enough, Messi curling the decisive one particular through for Dembele to race sharp and finish.
Lopegtegui reacted with three changes in half-time and two extra following the hour but possibly by matching Barcelona's program, Sevilla struggled to gain a foothold.
Alba came up just short of De Jong's cross, Dest slammed against the content and Messi blazed above after another surge from Dembele.
One of Lopetegui's substitutes Youssef En-Nesyri had Sevilla's best chance but headed over.
Yet with out a second goal, a good nervy finale was usually likely and En-Nesyri found the corner over the turn but had the goal ruled out for a good handball, his tussle with Araujo looking at Barca's defender set off and he booted some chairs over in frustration.
But Sevilla's press was quick, ended by Messi with six moments left.
He traded passes with Ilaix Moriba, nipped interior Diego Carlos and tried to finish with a chip. Bono saved however the ball came to Messi, one yard out.
