Barcelona took benefit of Real Madrid’s stumble to kick off the second one half of of the season with every other win and experience its greatest lead to this point on the most sensible of the Spanish league.
After Madrid’s 1-0 loss at Mallorca, Barcelona prolonged its 10-game profitable streak in all competitions with a comfy 3-0 victory over Sevilla on Sunday to open an eight-point lead over Madrid after 20 of 38 rounds.
It is the most important lead via any workforce this season, hanging the Catalan membership in company regulate because it chases its first league name since 2018-19.
“We are having a great season. We have been playing well, not giving many chances for our opponents,” Barcelona defender Jordi Alba mentioned. “It’s eight points. There’s a lot of league left, but it’s a good gap.”
Alba, Gavi and Raphinha scored a goal each in the second half to give Barcelona its fifth straight victory in the league.
The last game Barcelona failed to win was a 1-1 league draw against Espanyol last year.
Sevilla, which got off to a surprisingly awful start to the season, was coming off two straight league wins that had helped it move further away from the relegation zone. It dropped to 16th place with the loss, two points from the drop zone.
Sevilla hasn’t won in 15 league matches against Barcelona, and in 20 straight visits to the Catalan club.
Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets had to be replaced eight minutes into the match at Camp Nou with an apparent ankle sprain.
MADRID LOSE
Marco Asensio missed a penalty kick in Madrid’s loss at Mallorca in its last match before traveling to Morocco to play at the Club World Cup.
Madrid was depleted by injuries and rested some players ahead of the Club World Cup,
“We already expected a very tough match,” said Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. “We had our chances but couldn’t take advantage of them.”
Ancelotti could not rely on a number of injured starters, together with striker Karim Benzema, defender Éder Militão and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who was once dropped from the squad on the final minute once you have injured all through the warmup. Ancelotti additionally rested midfielders Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, who got here on in the second one half of.
Asensio ignored a possibility to equalize when his Sixtieth-minute penalty kick was once stored via Mallorca goalkeeper Pedrag Rajkovic after Madrid ahead Vinícius Júnior have been fouled. Madrid’s final probability was once a header via Antonio Rüdiger that went narrowly huge deep into stoppage time.
The hosts were given at the board with an own-goal via Nacho Fernández, who was once changing Militão in defence. Nacho went for a prime pass and deflected the ball into his personal internet over goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who began rather than Courtois.
“I hit the ball with my head and sadly it went into the highest nook,” Nacho said. “It was a complicated match, against a team that is having a good season. It’s a pity that we let three points get away.”
Madrid was once coming off a win towards Valencia after being held via Real Sociedad. Its opponent within the semifinals of the Club World Cup on Wednesday shall be Egyptian membership Al Ahly.
It was once the second one win in 3 league fits for Mallorca, and the fourth immediately at house. It remained midtable with 28 issues from 20 fits.
“It’s a good result, moves us further away from the relegation zone,” Mallorca’s Mexican trainer Javier Aguirre mentioned.
Vinicius was once proven a yellow card and shall be suspended for Madrid’s subsequent league recreation towards last-place Elche.
SOCIEDAD STALLS
Real Sociedad ignored a possibility to transport inside 3 issues of Madrid after shedding 1-0 to Valladolid at house.
It was once the 3rd winless recreation for the Basque Country membership after a nine-game profitable streak in all competitions. Sociedad was once coming off a 1–0 loss to Barcelona within the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey, and a zero–0 draw at Madrid within the league.
Newly signed Canadian ahead Cyle Larin scored a second-half winner for Thirteenth-place Valladolid, which has received two in a row after 5 immediately losses in all competitions.
STRUGGLING VALENCIA
Valencia’s struggles persisted with a 1–0 defeat at Girona, a end result that prolonged its shedding streak to 5 fits in all competitions.
Valencia has just one win in its final 12 league fits and is sitting simply out of doors the relegation zone.
Girona moved to eleventh position.