Sevilla 1-1 Barcelona: Xavi's Catalans miss chance to go fourth

Sevilla 1-1 Barcelona: Xavi’s Catalans miss chance to move into top four for first time since August with draw at 10-man hosts… whose defender Jules Kounde was sent off for THROWING a ball at Jordi Alba’s face

  • Barcelona dropped more LaLiga points – this time at a rain-soaked Sevilla 
  • Sevilla took the lead when Papu Gomez swept in Ivan Rakitic’s smart free kick
  • But Ronald Araujo glanced home Ousmane Dembele’s corner on 45 minutes
  • Sevilla’s Jules Kounde was sent off for throwing a ball at Jordi Alba’s face
  • Ousmane Dembele hit the post in the final 10 minutes while Gavi went close
  • Real Madrid now have a five-point lead at the top of LaLiga on Christmas Day 

Barcelona missed the chance to move into LaLiga’s top four for the first time since August as they failed to break down 10-man Sevilla at a rain-soaked Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.

Sevilla took the lead in smart fashion as Alejandro ‘Papu’ Gomez swept home a clever free-kick routine from Ivan Rakitic’s pass, but Xavi’s Barcelona equalised on the stroke of half-time when Ronaldo Araujo headed in Ousmane Dembele’s corner. 

Barcelona were given more reason for optimism when Sevilla’s Jules Kounde was sent off for throwing a ball at Jordi Alba’s face after he was antagonised by the visiting left-back.

But despite Gavi heading wide from close range and Dembele striking the post in the final ten minutes, Barcelona were left to rue more points dropped in LaLiga, with the Catalans now sitting in seventh, two points behind Rayo Vallecano in fourth.

Xavi’s Barcelona dropped more LaLiga points with a 1-1 draw at a rain-soaked Sevilla

Sevilla took a first-half lead when Papu Gomez (far right) swept home Ivan Rakitic’s free-kick

But Ronald Araujo headed home Ousmane Dembele’s corner on the stroke of half-time to level

Jules Kounde (right) was shown a straight red card for throwing a ball at Jordi Alba (on floor)

Meanwhile, Sevilla’s point means Real Madrid now have a five-point lead at the top of LaLiga going into Christmas Day.  

More to follow. 


Source: Read Full Article