La Coruňa – Real 1:2 (end) | Barcelona – Sevilla 2:1 (end)
final
FC Barcelona
2:1 (0:1)
Sevilla FC
Saturday 23.02.2013, 22:00 • LaLiga
     
    Barcelona increased their efforts in the second half and they were rewarded with goals by Villa and Messi until the 60th minute. Only then did Sevilla try it with offense but they failed in three big scoring chances to score the equalizer again and lost the match with 1-2. (23:55:25)
     
    Game over.
     
    90+3
    Barcelona keep the ball in the Sevilla half.
     
    90+2
    Sevilla with problems to even cross the center line. There should be no surprise anymore.
     
    90
    Three minutes are added to the game.
     
    89
    Tello with a shot from the border of the 18-yard box, over the crossbar!
     
    88
    Navas with a pass towards the right side of the Barcelona area but the new man Moreno lost the ball there...
     
    86
    The following free kick cross from the right wing by Barcelona was deflected for a corner.
     
    85
    Botía (Sevilla) gets a yellow card for a tactical foul on the outside lane.
     
    83
    Finally a good chance by Barcelona again. From a central position a hard shot by Messi went just past the right post!
     
    81
    Last change of the match. Sevilla's Maduro is out and his substitute is Alberto Moreno.
     
    80
    Barcelona look stronger again. They don't want to risk anything anymore.
     
    78
    David Villa who scored the 1-1 leaves the pitch with standing ovations. In for him is Sergio Busquets, a defensive midfielder. Last change by the home side.
     
    77
    After trailing Barcelona the guests from Sevilla have taken over the initiative and had three big scoring opportunities for the equalizer. It's a completely open game now.
     
    75
    Wonderful through ball by Rakitic to Negredo. In the 1-on-1 with Valdés he failed and his shot went over the crossbar!
     
    73
    The corner was intercepted by a defender. No danger at all.
     
    72
    On the other side Tello with a shot from the second row, blocked for a corner.
     
    71
    Manu Del Moral from about 20 metres distance with a hard shot towards the right bottom corner. Valdés with a long jump, avoids the equalizer!
     
    70
    David Villa with a try from the right side of the six-yard box but the angle was too sharp and Beto could clear the shot easily.
     
    69
    Xavi enters the pitch for Iniesta. Second change by the home side.
     
    68
    Nice combination by the guests inside the Barcelona area. From the penalty point Ivan Rakitic tried it with a shot that went a few metres wide past the left post as he didn't really hit the ball!
     
    67
    Sevilla try it with more offense now. Kondogbia with a shot from the second row half a metre over the crossbar!
     
    65
    Powerful shot by Messi just over the crossbar! Beto would have never ever reached this ball!
     
    62
    Almost an own goal by Fazio. He wanted to clear a cross from the right wing but the ball went only inches past the left post of the Sevilla net!
     
    61
    Negredo is in for Baba. Sevilla have a fresh forward on the pitch.
     
    60
    Goal for Barcelona!

    Messi with a precise pass towards Tello who waited at the left side of the Sevilla area. He then gave the ball back immidiately to Messi and the Argentinian waited completely alone at the penalty point from where he shot the ball into the right corner - Beto was in the other one! 2-1 Barcelona! They turned the game around within 8 minutes.
     
    58
    Cross from the right wing by Jesús Navas, Baba just missed it at the six-yard box.
     
    57
    Lob into the Sevilla area, aimed for Villa but it was too long - Beto caught the ball.
     
    56
    Dani Alves with a cross from the right wing that was blocked. He wanted a corner kick but in fact he touched the ball last - correct decision by the linesman.
     
    54
    Sevilla react after the Villa goal. Kondogbia is now on the pitch for Medel. Defensive midfielder for defensive midfielder.
     
    53
    On the other side almost the immidiate answer by Sevilla but the last pass by Jesús Navas found no team colleague.
     
    52
    Goal for Barcelona!

    Dani Alves with a precise cross from the right wing, at the six-yard box Villa waited and his header found the way past Beto who stayed chanceless into the left bottom corner - equalizer!
     
    51
    After several minutes of searching the hole by the home side, Iniesta finally tried it with a shot but he didn't really hit the ball and his shot was no danger at all.
     
    48
    Barcelona with football into one direction in the first minutes of the second half.
     
    46
    Barcelona with a change in half time. Tello entered the pitch for the once more weak Alexis Sánchez.
     
    46
    Start of 2nd half.
     
    Barcelona controlled the match for most parts of the first 45 minutes but only created two really big chances. On the other side Sevilla concentrated succesfully on their defensive duties and with their first shot on goal they earned a surpising half time lead through Botía.
     
    1st halftime finished.
     
    45+1
    Nice trick by Iniesta at the left side of the Sevilla area against Coke, makes him look like a schoolboy but then his hard cross pass towards the six-yard box went wide as nobody stood there!
     
    45
    One minute is added to the first half.
     
    44
    Barcelona want the fast reaction. A dangerous cross pass was stopped by the guests in the last moment.
     
    42
    Goal for Sevilla!

    Out of the blue the guests get the lead with their first shot on goal!!! Raktiic with a long ball towards the right wing, then Coke with the cross from the right side of the Barcelona area and Botía with a beautiful header towards the left corner! The ball hit the ground and bounced over Valdés who had no chance at all for a save!
     
    40
    Nice dribbling by Iniesta against two defenders on the left outside lane but in the end they stop him.
     
    39
    Dangerous cross by the guests from the right wing, intercepted by Valdés.
     
    39
    Rakitic receives a long ball at the right outside lane, can't controll the ball and loses it immidiately.
     
    37
    Another clear foul against Baba in the midfield but no call by the referee. A lot of strange decisions regarding fouls so far by Velasco Carballo.
     
    36
    By now it is the expected game. Sevilla defend with 11 men on the pitch while Barcelona have a lot of ball possession in the midfield. They lack ideas though how to get past the guest defense.
     
    34
    Again Messi aimed for the right top corner but his free kick went over the crossbar half a metre.
     
    33
    The execution of the free kick takes a little longer as the wall is too close.
     
    32
    Fernando Navarro (Sevilla) gets the first yellow card of the game for a foul against Messi just in front of the guest area.
     
    30
    Navas with a free kick cross from the right half field, stopped by Montoya.
     
    28
    After a foul by Botía against Messi the Argentinian striker tried it himself with a free kick from about 25 metres. Went just over the crossbar at height of the right top corner!
     
    26
    Iniesta tries it with a pass to Villa from inside the guest area but a defender is in between and clears the situation.
     
    25
    Sevilla can barely free themselves from the pressure by the home side now. If the match continues that way a goal for Barcelona is only a question of time.
     
    23
    The hosts are increasing their efforts significantly.
     
    22
    Nice lob through the guest area from Iniesta to Messi whose shot from the six-yard box towards the near post was stopped by Beto with a great save!
     
    22
    Dani Alves tried it with a shot from about 20 metres, it was deflected by a defender and went just over the crossbar. The following corner led to nothing.
     
    21
    Thiago finds Montoya inside the area but his pass then was stopped.
     
    19
    Beto leaves his net and clears the ball on the right wing.
     
    18
    A flat cross by the guests from the right outside lane was deflected and almost led to a good chance for Baba but he came a step too late and Valdés covered the ball up.
     
    17
    The free kick was executed by Messi who only hit the wall.
     
    16
    Dangerous free kick position from about 20 metres distance for Barcelona after a foul against Alexis Sánchez.
     
    14
    A clear push from behind in the midfield by Mascherano against Maduro but the referee says no foul.
     
    12
    Terrible clearance by guest goalkeeper Beto whose shot went out for a throw in.
     
    11
    Combination between Fernado Navarro and Manu del Moral on the left wing at height of the Barcelona area but del Moral tried it with a trick and the ball went out for a Barcelona throw in.
     
    9
    Nice long combination by the home side and then Messi goes down in the duel with Medel. He was clearly hit from behind but the referee decided to let the play continue.
     
    8
    Iniesta with a nice long pass towards the left outside lane to Villa. His cross is blocked by Coke - first corner for Barcelona but this one was cleared very easily.
     
    6
    Surpisingly the guests from Sevilla don't stay in defense most of the time but look themselves for chances with early pressing.
     
    4
    Thiago stole the ball in the Sevilla half, gave it to Messi and he found Iniesta who went past a defender before his shot from the six-yard box was blocked in the last moment!
     
    3
    2-on-2 counter attack for Sevilla. Jesús Navas had all the time in the world but in the end his through ball to Baba was intercepted as it was not precise enough.
     
    1
    Game started.
     
    Starting lineups:

    FC Barcelona: Valdés - D. Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Montoya - Thiago, A. Song, Iniesta - A. Sánchez, Messi, Villa

    Sevilla FC: Beto - F. Navarro, Botía, Fazio, Coke - Medel, Maduro - Del Moral, Rakitic, Navas - Baba

    Referees: Velasco Carballo
     
    FC Barcelona are league leaders in La Liga with 65 points in 24 games and a brilliant 21-2-1 record. Before the current matchday they already had a 12-point advantage towards second placed Atlético Madrid and even 16 (!) points more than their archrivals Real Madrid. On the other side opponents Sevilla FC have an average season and are 10th with 32 points. They currently have a five-point deficit to the Europea League spots.

    For Barcelona the last weeks were not as convincing as at the begin of the season. Especially in away matches they had problems when they played in the first leg of the Copa del Rey against Real Madrid (1-1), in the league against Valencia CF (1-1) and this Wednesday in the Champions League against AC Milan (0-2). Sevilla gained several spots in the league table due to their strength at home where they had four consecutive wins. In away games though they were rather weak and stayed without a win in their last 9 occasions. The last road win happend against Deportivo La Coruña in September 2012.

    The head-to-head record between the two teams gives little hope for Sevilla as they didn't win in Camp Nou during their last 9 matches and in the last four matches they didn't even score a single goal.

    If Barcelona get the expected clear home win or if Sevilla can get a big sensation, we'll see in a few minutes.
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 21:00 GMT / 22:00 CET.
    Commentary by

    Dennis Mende

    Goals & lineups
    Goals: 52. Villa, 60. Messi - 42. Botía

    Cards:   32. Navarro (SEV), 85. Botía (SEV)

    FC Barcelona: Valdés - D. Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Montoya - Thiago, A. Song, Iniesta (69. Xavi) - A. Sánchez (46. Tello), Messi, Villa (78. Busquets)
    Sevilla FC: Beto - F. Navarro, Botía, Fazio, Coke - Medel (54. Kondogbia), Maduro (81. Moreno) - Del Moral, Rakitic, Navas - Baba (61. Negredo)
    Referees: Velasco Carballo