A night to forget - former Real Madrid captain helps Barca sink his beloved Sevilla

A Sergio Ramos own goal continued Barcelona’s 100 percent record at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, and ensured they moved top of La Liga with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Sevilla.

With a concert from Spanish singer-songwriter Joaquin Sabina taking place a stone throw’s away from the stadium at the Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona came into this contest hoping to hit the right notes again after a frustrating 2-2 draw at Real Mallorca on Tuesday. João Félix was the main conductor for the hosts, and came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock when his fierce close-range strike rattled the crossbar from João Cancelo’s sublime through ball.

Sevilla carried a threat of their own though, and former Barça midfielder Ivan Rakitić saw his ferocious strike superbly parried away by Marc-André ter Stegen. José Luis Mendilibar’s side looked threatening on the break, and the hosts had Gavi to thank for making a brilliant goalmouth clearance to keep out a Lucas Ocampos effort. Xavi’s men were dealt a blow as Raphinha was forced off with an apparent hamstring injury and replaced by Fermín López. The 20-year-old should have broken the deadlock before halftime after superbly latching onto Lamine Yamal’s pass, but could only fire his shot straight at Ørjan Nyland.

Barça were pushing for that elusive opener, but Robert Lewandowski was twice denied in promising positions by the challenges of Adrià Pedrosa and Juanlu respectively. Cancelo was looking to instigate matters from the right flank, and he linked up well with Yamal, only for the latter’s attempt to go wide of the near post. Los Nervionenses made limited attacking forays after the interval, but Rakitić should have made his former employers pay for their profligacy with a near post header that went wide following some sumptuous link-up play involving Erik Lamela and Ocampos.

However, the breakthrough came via hugely fortuitous circumstances when Ramos diverted the ball into his own net after Yamal headed a Ferran Torres cross back across the face of goal. It was a sweet irony for the Culers in attendance, given a Real Madrid icon had inadvertently given them the breakthrough. The goal was all the more poignant after a clip had surfaced on social media ahead of the match, showing a nine-year-old Yamal preparing to walk out with Ramos ahead of an El Clásico fixture at Camp Nou seven years ago.

It proved to be the only decisive goal of the contest and ends Sevilla’s four-match unbeaten run across all competitions, This defeat also extends their dismal winless run against the Catalans to 16 league matches. Meanwhile, Barcelona are yet to lose this campaign, and have won seven of their nine games across all competitions to date.

LA LIGA - MATCHDAY 8

Friday

Barcelona - Sevilla 1-0 (0-0)

/Ramos 76 og/

Saturday

15:00: (2.90) Getafe (3.30) Villareal (2.65)

17:15: (2.20) Rayo Vallecano (3.20) Mallorca (3.80)

19:30: (3.90) Girona (3.50) Real Madrid (1.95)

22:00: (2.30) Sociedad (3.25) Ath.Bilbao (3.50)

Sunday

15:00: (2.05) Almeria (3.60) Granada (3.90)

17:15: (2.70) Alaves (3.00) Osasuna (2.90)

22:00: (2.35) Betis (3.35) Valencia (3.30)

22:00: (1.35) Atl.Madrid (4.90) Cadiz (9.50)

Monday

21:00: (2.45) Las Palmas (3.25) Celta (3.25)

***odds are subject to change***