BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Raphinha delivered a masterful hat trick, converting two penalties and adding a stunning solo strike, as Barcelona defeated Sevilla 5-2 on Sunday to restore their four-point cushion over Real Madrid at the top of the Spanish league .
The Brazilian winger’s treble, coupled with goals from Fermín López and an own goal, ensured the Catalans bounced back emphatically from their midweek UEFA Champions League exit at the hands of Borussia Dortmund .
With the victory, Barcelona moved to 66 points, four clear of Real Madrid, who kept the pressure on with a 2-1 win over Villarreal earlier in the day courtesy of goals from Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé .
First Half: Raphinha Takes Charge
Playing at the Olympic Stadium Montjuïc, Barcelona wasted no time asserting dominance. Raphinha opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 7th minute after Fermín López was brought down in the box by José Ángel Carmona .
Sevilla equalized just after the half-hour mark when Rubén Vargas collected a pass from Manu Bueno and fired past Wojciech Szczęsny .
But Raphinha restored order in first-half stoppage time. The 28-year-old collected a clearance, drove at the Sevilla defense, and unleashed an unstoppable strike from the edge of the box into the top corner .
Second Half: Fermín Strikes, Raphinha Completes Treble
Barcelona put the game to bed early in the second half. In the 51st minute, Lamine Yamal delivered a pinpoint cross from the right flank, and Fermín López rose to head home his sixth league goal of the season .
Just three minutes later, referee Javier Alberola Rojas pointed to the spot again after Adrià Pedrosa was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box. Raphinha stepped up and calmly sent goalkeeper Álvaro Fernández the wrong way to complete his hat trick .
Sevilla managed a late consolation through Stanis Idumbo Muzambo, who finished smartly after being set up by Juanlu Sánchez in the 84th minute. But Barcelona had the final word when Saúl Ñíguez inadvertently turned Alejandro Balde’s cross into his own net deep into stoppage time .
Flick: ‘We Weren’t Focused’ Against Sevilla
Despite the emphatic scoreline, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick admitted his team started slowly. “We weren’t focused in the first minutes,” Flick said in his post-match press conference. “We improved after they scored” .
Flick also provided an update on Robert Lewandowski, who was substituted at halftime. “He took a kick to his shin and couldn’t continue. We’ll assess him tomorrow, but we hope it’s nothing serious” .
Title Race: Four Points the Difference
The result maintains Barcelona’s narrow but crucial advantage over Real Madrid with nine games remaining in the season. The two Clásico rivals are scheduled to meet at the Santiago Bernabéu on May 10, a fixture that could ultimately decide the title .
Atlético Madrid sits third, seven points behind Barcelona after a 1-1 draw with Espanyol on Saturday .
