Barca missed a string of probabilities in opposition to a dogged Sevilla at Camp Nou earlier than the nineteen-12 months-vintage Pedri settled the competition with a second of magic, dancing his manner into area on the edge of the place before firing into the nook. Victory maintains Barcelona's recent surge as they subsidized up their 4-0 thrashing of Real Madrid before the worldwide damage with a convincing win against the crew who have been Madrid's chief name challengers all season.
Madrid edged past Celta Vigo on Saturday to calm tips their Clasico nightmare could even set off a past due crumble and let Barca back into the race. A 12-factor advantage means that is simply not possible now however Barcelona are inside the using seat to complete 2d, which might be a incredible success for a group that just a few months ago had severe worries about lacking out on the pinnacle four. When Xavi took over in November, they lay 9th.
The ultimate time the Catalans were 2d in La Liga after a entire round of fixtures become May 10 last yr, three suits before the end of last season. Ousmane Dembele added another notable to show to decorate the developing the experience that the Frenchman may yet stay inside the summer time, even though the club remain pessimistic. Pedri, though, became the big name of the show, a stunning overall performance in midfield rounded off with a masterful purpose so as to handiest in addition the popularity of one of the international's maximum interesting younger capabilities.
Sevilla, in the meantime, maintain to fizzle, have drawn seven out in their previous nine games earlier than this defeat made it wins from 10. Add the wonder exit within the Europa League at the arms of West Ham and Julen Lopetegui's side are in danger of enduring a depressing give up to what seemed a promising season.
Barcelona had been the more assertive group in the first half but it changed into best in the remaining 10 minutes that Sevilla have been made to sense uncomfortable as a flurry of chances went begging. A sumptuous Pedri skip released Dembele out on the right but his attempted cut-again become intercepted. Then Pedri picked out Dembele again, this time with a clipped move into the area and even as Dembele nodded smartly across the six-backyard container, neither Ferran Torres nor Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could convert.
Aubameyang became slipped thru by means of Dembele, simplest to peer his finish clawed away by using Bono as Sevilla survived, the score goalless at the wreck. The pattern, although, become set and even as Sevilla have been much less frantic after the restart, Barcelona remained in price.
Dembele squared for Torres, whose finish turned into pushed over. Jordi Alba reduce lower back for Torres however this time he curled wide. A sloppy Dembele skip gave Ivan Rakitic a risk at a free-kick but he floated the shot simply over, allowing the Barca attack to continue, Gerard Pique using wide and then heading the resulting nook towards the crossbar. Sergio Busquets volleyed the rebound over.
When Dembele missed at the again put up with 20 minutes left, it felt like Barca might never score, until Pedri intervened. Dembele's pull-back located the youngster on the threshold of the vicinity but Rakitic and Diego Carlos had been dashing out to him. He floored Rakitic with one dummy after which left Diego Carlos for dead with a 2nd, firing thru the sprawling our bodies around him and into the lowest nook.
Sevilla very almost levelled on the death when Ter Stegen's punch from Jesus Corona's pass changed into a bad one, but Augustinsson turned into denied on the rebound and Sevilla left empty-exceeded.
