Robert Lewandowski scored twice, boosting his league-leading whole to 12 objectives as Barcelona cruised to a 5-1 victory over Sevilla, making a three-point cushion over Real Madrid forward of subsequent weekend’s extremely anticipated “El Clasico.”
Pedri and Pablo Torre additionally discovered the online for the Catalan giants, who reclaimed their prime spot in La Liga simply someday after second-place Madrid secured a 2-1 win in opposition to Celta Vigo.
In a notable comeback, Barcelona midfielder Gavi made his return from a critical knee harm, coming off the bench to interchange Pedri within the 83rd minute practically a yr after his absence.
Barcelona will play Madrid on Saturday at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Both groups have Champions League matches midweek: Madrid hosts Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, and Barcelona hosts Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Lewandowski scored twice within the first half in opposition to Sevilla, first changing a Twenty fourth-minute penalty kick after which discovering the online from shut vary within the thirty ninth minute.
The Poland striker was coming off a hat trick at Alaves within the earlier league spherical and had scored twice within the workforce’s win over Young Boys within the Champions League. He has 14 objectives in 11 matches throughout all competitions this season.
Lewandowski, who acquired a standing ovation when he was substituted within the sixty fifth minute, practically received his hat trick in opposition to Sevilla in a one-on-one state of affairs within the first half.
Pedri scored with a curling shot from exterior the world within the twenty eighth minute, and Torre added to the lead with a objective from inside the world within the 82nd minute and a free kick within the 88th. Raphinha had a Forty ninth-minute objective disallowed for offside.
Barcelona has outscored its league opponents 33-10 this season.
Sevilla, which had no makes an attempt on the right track within the first half, scored its lone objective within the 87th minute with a strike from 19-year-old substitute Stanis Idumbo.
Barcelona additionally noticed Lamine Yamal return from a muscle pressure that had brought about him to depart Spain’s squad throughout the worldwide break.
Fewer followers than regular watched Atletico Madrid beat Leganes 3-1 in a match performed in {a partially} closed stadium as a consequence of latest fan bother.
Alexander Sorloth scored twice, and Antoine Griezmann added one other after the guests took the lead within the first half at Metropolitano Stadium, which had an empty fan part behind one of many objectives as punishment for Atletico followers throwing objects on the sphere throughout a metropolis derby in opposition to Real Madrid final month.
The part is the place the membership’s extra radical supporters normally collect.
Atletico had initially been ordered to shut the part for 3 matches however appealed the choice, and the punishment was lowered to a single match. The derby was interrupted for greater than quarter-hour after followers threw objects close to Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in a sport that led to a 1-1 draw.
Sunday’s victory, which ended Atletico’s three-match winless streak in all competitions, moved Diego Simeone’s workforce to 3rd place within the league, trailing Barcelona by seven factors.
Villarreal is in fourth place after conceding an 87th-minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw in opposition to Getafe. Santiago Comesana had put the hosts forward within the forty fourth minute.
Mallorca defeated visiting Rayo Vallecano 1-0 with a objective by Vedat Muriqi within the seventy fifth minute. It was the fourth win in 5 matches for Mallorca, which moved to sixth place within the standings, whereas Rayo remained in ninth.
Source: www.dailysabah.com