Match ends, Barcelona 4, Sevilla 2.
21 Oct 2018
Messi to miss El Clasico after injury in Barca win
Lionel Messi will miss El Clasico after being ruled out for three weeks with a fractured arm as Barcelona beat Sevilla 4-2 to go top of La Liga.
The Argentine was left writhing in agony after landing heavily on his right arm after colliding with Franco Vazquez.
He was still in obvious discomfort as he left the field in the 26th minute.
Just moments earlier the Barcelona captain had scored a sublime goal to put Barcelona 2-0 up.
Messi had also set up Philippe Coutinho for the opener on two minutes.
Barcelona confirmed after the game that the 31-year-old suffered a "fracture of the radial bone in his right arm" and is set to miss the Champions League tie against Inter Milan in midweek and the clash with Real Madrid next Sunday.
Despite the injury to Messi, Barcelona extended their lead in the second half through a Luis Suarez penalty.
Pablo Sarabia's deflected long-range effort brought Sevilla back into the game before Barcelona had goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen to thank for a wonderful double stop to deny first Sarabia and then Wissam Ben Yedder.
Ivan Rakitic's fine volley made it 4-1 and although substitute Luis Muriel curled home an impressive effort of his own, Barcelona held on to secure their first win in five La Liga matches.
The result also puts them one point clear of Alaves at the top of the table before next week's huge game at the Nou Camp against rivals Real.
Messi injury overshadows Barca's return to form
While Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde will be relieved to see his side end their four-game winless run in La Liga, there will be concern for the fitness of star forward Messi.
The Argentine looked in scintillating form in the opening stages, setting up one goal before scoring a fine second to take his tally for the season to 12 in as many matches.
There is no blame attached to Vazquez as the Sevilla man competed fairly for the ball, but Messi's full bodyweight landed on his right arm.
The Barcelona physio applied heavy strapping, but Messi was replaced by Ousmane Dembele.
Valverde can take comfort from the form of Luis Suarez, who stepped up in Messi's absence to put in a commanding display and score his first goal in seven matches.
The former Liverpool striker was a menacing presence throughout and coolly converted a second half penalty to make it 3-0 after he was brought down in the box by goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik.
- Line-ups
- Match Stats
- Live Text
Line-ups
Barcelona
- 1ter Stegen
- 2Cabral Semedo
- 3Piqué
- 15Lenglet
- 18Alba
- 4Rakitic
- 5Busquets
- 8Ramos de Oliveira MeloSubstituted forRobertoat 67'minutes
- 10MessiSubstituted forDembéléat 26'minutes
- 9SuárezSubstituted forEl Haddadiat 81'minutes
- 7Coutinho
Substitutes
- 11Dembélé
- 12Rafinha
- 13Cillessen
- 19El Haddadi
- 20Roberto
- 22Vidal
- 36Brandáriz
Sevilla
- 1VaclikBooked at 62mins
- 6Martins Carriço
- 4KjaerSubstituted forMercadoat 54'minutes
- 3Gómez
- 16Navas
- 17Sarabia
- 10Banega
- 22VázquezSubstituted forMesaat 69'minutes
- 23Arana Lopes
- 12André SilvaSubstituted forMurielat 78'minutes
- 9Ben Yedder
Substitutes
- 7Mesa
- 8Nolito
- 11Vidal
- 13Soriano
- 14Muriel
- 21Promes
- 25Mercado
- Referee:
- Juan Martínez Munuera
- Attendance:
- 88,712
Match Stats
Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamSevilla
- Possession
- Home53%
- Away47%
- Shots
- Home23
- Away19
- Shots on Target
- Home9
- Away6
- Corners
- Home5
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away16
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Barcelona 4, Sevilla 2.
Foul by Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona).
Éver Banega (Sevilla) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Munir El Haddadi (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Coutinho.
Foul by Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona).
Éver Banega (Sevilla) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 4, Sevilla 2. Luis Muriel (Sevilla) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Wissam Ben Yedder following a fast break.
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 4, Sevilla 1. Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner.
Sergi Roberto (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Roque Mesa (Sevilla).
Foul by Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona).
Sergi Gómez (Sevilla) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Hand ball by Pablo Sarabia (Sevilla).
Attempt blocked. Roque Mesa (Sevilla) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Éver Banega (Sevilla) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Roque Mesa.
Attempt saved. Wissam Ben Yedder (Sevilla) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Attempt saved. Pablo Sarabia (Sevilla) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Attempt missed. Luis Muriel (Sevilla) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Éver Banega.
Sergi Roberto (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Pablo Sarabia (Sevilla).
Attempt saved. Coutinho (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Hand ball by Daniel Carriço (Sevilla).
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Munir El Haddadi replaces Luis Suárez.
Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Luis Muriel (Sevilla).
Goal!
Own Goal by Clément Lenglet, Barcelona. Barcelona 3, Sevilla 1.
Attempt blocked. Pablo Sarabia (Sevilla) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Éver Banega.
Substitution
Substitution, Sevilla. Luis Muriel replaces André Silva.
Foul by Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona).
Guilherme Arana (Sevilla) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by André Silva (Sevilla).
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Sergi Gómez.
Attempt blocked. Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Coutinho.
Attempt saved. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Nélson Semedo.
Attempt missed. Clément Lenglet (Barcelona) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Coutinho with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Daniel Carriço.
Attempt blocked. Coutinho (Barcelona) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Sergi Roberto.
Sergi Roberto (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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