So, Barcelona go back up to second after a terrific fightback, while Sevilla can take positives from the first half, despite tiring towards the end. The real winners were us, the viewing public, after a thrilling game of football that nobody bar the visiting players wanted to end. Thanks for joining me. Bye!
Full time: Sevilla 1-2 Barcelona
It’s all over, and Barcelona have grabbed a big win in a breathless match, thanks to goals from Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez.
93 mins: A penalty shout from the home fans, as Umtiti hangs on to Correa’s arm. It would have been very harsh. Umtiti clears Vitolo’s cross, and time may be up...
Updated
92 mins: Sevilla win a free kick, which is pumped long into the area, but Barcelona clear. The hosts try to build from the back, but Neymar breaks down the right. With Suárez in space, he takes a heavy touch, and Rico collects it.
90 mins: Three added minutes. The home crowd do not like that.
88 mins: The frequent stoppages have taken the sting out of the game. Incidentally, that’s Neymar, Messi and Suárez all in the book, which can’t happen often.
87 mins: Suárez hauls down his man in an attempt to break through on goal, and is penalised. He should have been booked; this referee has been inconsistent, at best. Moments later, he is booked for dissent after being manhandled by Carriço. That’s the ninth yellow card of the match.
86 mins: Carriço is the latest name in the book for a weary challenge on Suárez (Luis). Suárez (Denis) brings down the free kick, but does so with his hand. That’s his last act of the game – he’s replaced by Rafinha.
83 mins: A farcical interlude as the referee books Messi for trying to put his boot back on without leaving the field. He gets booked, then huffs to the touchline, spending a full three minutes waiting to come back on. In the meantime, Joaquin Correa comes on for Sevilla, replacing the impressive Sarabia.
Updated
82 mins: Barcelona come back at the hosts, and N’Zonzi treads on Messi’s foot, forcing his boot off and earning a booking.
81 mins: Mariano reads a Neymar feint in enjoyable fashion, setting up a charge downfield – but Sevilla, tiring after their Champions League exploits and first half endeavour, run out of steam.
79 mins: Sarabia works hard to earn a corner, but the delivery is poor, evading the big lads who had come up from the back.
77 mins: Umtiti wanders far enough upfield to have a wild shot from the edge of the area. This game has changed. Sampaoli is trying to change it back, bringing on Iborra for the fading Samir Nasri.
75 mins: Barcelona let Sevilla off the hook, Neymar crossing for Suárez, who fires his shot too close to Sergio Rico.
An email!
“The home crowd’s been singing the tune from Gala’s Freed from Desire,” says Kári Tulinius. “I wonder who’s on fire and terrifying defenses in the Sánchez-Pizjuán. Vietto’s on fire? Vitolo’s on fire? Or are they willing the club to sign Will Grigg?”
Updated
74 mins: Ter Stegen almost hands Sevilla a lifeline, failing to deal with an outswinging corner and getting beaten to the ball by N’Zonzi, whose header bounces just wide!
73 mins: André Gomes is on for Barcelona, replacing Rakitic.
71 mins: Barcelona slowing the pace now after the thrills and spills of the first hour. After sliding 30 passes all over the pitch, Messi picks out Neymar in the middle. His feathered through ball is latched onto by Suárez, who takes the ball around Rico – but just runs out of room, and fires wide! That would have been one for the archives.
69 mins: Sevilla have been a little ragged in this second half, the passes not quite connecting; this time, Rami’s diagonal pass is overhit, leaving Vietto frustrated.
67 mins: Ganso, summer signing and star of Rumour Mills 2010-2013, is on, replacing Vázquez. From the free kick, Nasri finds Sarabia, whose low cross has too much swazz for Nzonzi to handle.
66 mins: Suárez’s pass to Neymar is underhit, and Mariano intercepts before striding upfield. Barcelona are short at the back, and Digne hauls his fellow full-back down, earning a booking in the process.
64 mins: Sevilla’s unbeaten home record very much at risk now, but perhaps it’ll focus their minds; they have seemed unsure whether to stick or twist since half time. Sarabia gets two chances to cross from the right-hand byline, but can’t find a team-mate, and Barcelona clear.
62 mins: Barcelona have dominated the second half, and after Suárez takes the ball from Carriço, Messi charges through the Sevilla midfield, then picks out Suárez on the right of the area. He takes a touch and fires low, inside Rico’s near post.
Updated
GOAL! Sevilla 1-2 Barcelona (Suárez)
This has been coming. Luis Suárez gives Barcelona the lead!
59 mins: Messi almost stuns the home crowd into silence, shimmying into the middle past several bewildered defenders, but lifting the ball over the bar! Honestly, he can’t hit a barn door, this lad.
Updated
58 mins: Moments before, Rami hacked Busquets down, trying (and) failing to stop a counter-attack. The referee played advantage, and didn’t show the fortunate Rami a second yellow card.
57 mins: Denis Suárez plays it forward to Messi, who tries to return the favour with a threaded through pass that’s just too long.
55 mins: Mascherano has held the Barcelona defence together at times, and stops a Sevilla attack with a perfectly-timed block tackle on Vitolo, who was threatening to break free on the left.
54 mins: Suárez, who has come into this game like a wrecking ball – there’s an up-to-date reference – backheels into the path of Messi, who takes a touch and curls a shot towards the top corner. Rico does well to palm it over.
53 mins: Sevilla grew more cautious as the first half went on, and Messi’s equaliser has left them in a tricky spot, unable to throw themselves forward with the same gusto as in the first half.
51 mins: Another lightning Barcelona counter, with Suarez bursting clear and finding Messi, who has Neymar in space to his left but fires a cross-shot that’s deflected behind.
49 mins: Barcelona, much livelier at the start of the second half, win a free kick as Mariano is booked. Messi’s ball drifts over to the right, and the return ball is grasped comfortably by Rico.
48 mins: At the other end, Nasri scampers into the area, collects Vitolo’s through ball and fires straight at Ter Stegen. Approximately five seconds later, Neymar dances down the left and pulls back to Rakitic, whose meaty effort is parried away by Rico.
47 mins: Denis Suárez thwacks the ball out wide to namesake Luis. His low cross is picked up by Messi, who confounds my half-time analysis by dallying, and getting robbed by Mariano.
Peep!
We’re back under way.
At the risk of stating the obvious, Lionel Messi is good at football such an accurate finisher. I’m struggling to think of a game where he has let a chance, or even a couple of half-chances, go unpunished. Sevilla’s defence were five feet away from him as he shaped to shoot; they may as well have booted the ball in themselves.
Updated
The dreaded active/inactive offside debate has returned in the Premier League, with Chelsea and Arsenal goals under the microscope this weekend. Sevilla could have had a case there, with Rakitic (I think) jumping out of the way of Messi’s shot from an offside position. There wasn’t much in the way of an appeal from Sevilla.
Updated
Half time: Sevilla 1-1 Barcelona
Sevilla will wonder how they’re only level after dominating that half, but a pinpoint Lionel Messi strike has brought Barcelona right back into the game.
44 mins: Sergi Roberto is booked for pulling back Vitolo. There will be no added time in this breathless first half.
43 mins: Messi launches a counter attack from deep with a raking ball to Neymar, who slaloms past two defenders, and pulls the ball back to Messi, 20 yards out. He has to find the very bottom corner to beat Rico, and does.
GOAL! Sevilla 1-1 Barcelona (Messi)
That’s 27 goals for Lionel Messi against Sevilla, and from nowhere, Barcelona are level.
Updated
41 mins: Whistles from the crowd as Barcelona hog the ball, but Sevilla, packed into their own half, spring out, Vietto moving forward and eventually finding Mariano on the right. They hold the ball up until Vitolo skips into space, and fires a shot low beyond the far post.
39 mins: Suárez is on the right of the front three, with Messi free in the middle – it hasn’t really worked so far. Sevilla have slowed down from that frantic start, with half time approaching.
No Steven N’Zonzi in the latest England squad. Watch the game, read this, and weep:
37 mins: Neymar squares to Messi, 25 yards out, who tries a daisy-cutter that flashes six feet wide. It smacked of desperation, but we’ve seen him score from there many, many times.
36 mins: Roberto gets forward from right back and latches on to a long ball, crossing for Neymar. With defenders closing in, he rolls the ball to Messi, who can only thud into a wall of white shirts.
34 mins: Sarabia, making his first start since the loss to Athletic Bilbao in September, has been a constant threat. He links up with Vitolo, who has Escudero to his left – but his pass is just overhit.
32 mins: Sarabia bisects Umtiti and Digne with a diagonal pass, which Vietto collects and fires low across goal. Barcelona living dangerously here.
30 mins: Plenty of height in this Sevilla team, but the free kick doesn’t beat the first man.
29 mins: If Sarabia had taken a shot there instead of backheeling, Sevilla would probably be 2-0 up. As it is, they have a dangerous free kick, close to the right-hand touchline...
28 mins: Barcelona are almost undone again, with Vietto moving wide and picking out Sarabia, who backheels extravagantly to the edge of the area. Vázquez lifts the ball towards Vitolo, with Barça’s back four on their heels, but it’s too close to Ter Stegen.
27 mins: Umtiti looks OK to continue. With Gerard Piqué and Jordi Alba injured, Barcelona’s defensive cover on the bench amounts to Marlon Santos and Nili, 21 and 22 years old respectively.
26 mins: Messi, who has scored 26 (twenty-six) career goals against Sevilla, is over the free kick, but the ball gets lost under Rakitic’s feet, and Sevilla clear.
25 mins: Neymar gallops forward and links with Suárez – but before he can chase after the return pass, he is upturned by Rami. Yellow card.
23 mins: Barcelona enjoy a spell of possession, before Umtiti is caught on the knee by Sarabia’s boot. He looks in some discomfort – not great news for Luis Enrique, but he’s carrying on for now.
20 mins: Denis Suárez carries the ball to the edge of the area, then crumples to the floor under an innocuous challenge. Luis Enrique is furious, possibly with the referee, possibly with Suárez.
18 mins: Sarabia moves into space on the right and fires in a cross that Mascherano clears away. Since that early Suárez shot, Barcelona haven’t had a sniff.
17 mins: What’s remarkable about that goal is that it came after a Barcelona counter, with Sarabia wrestling the ball back and sending a long ball through which Roberto couldn’t deal with. It’s been a ferocious start from the hosts.
2 - Vitolo has scored in his last two league games against Barcelona (two goals). Panzer. pic.twitter.com/h3rWFG4DYe
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 6, 2016
Updated
GOAL! Sevilla 1-0 Barcelona (Vitolo)
After Sergi Roberto’s mistake, Vitolo has another chance to race clear – and he does so in style, sashaying up to Ter Stegen and clipping the ball into the net.
Updated
14 mins: Vitolo, playing alongside rather than behind Vietto, gets in the clear, but as he twists and turns to find a shot, he is closed down. No matter...
12 mins: This Sevilla formation is quite something. Approximately a 5-3-2 in defence, it turns into something like a 2-4-4 when they push forward. It’s certainly got Barcelona confused.
11 mins: Barcelona keep possession awhile, before Mascherano loses patience and hoofs it downfield, where Mariano collects. Nasri and Vitolo combine on the edge of the box, before left-back Escudero, the furthest man forward, is flagged offside.
9 mins: Neymar is booked early on after treading on Vazquez’s toes in midfield. Maybe a little harsh.
8 mins: Vitolo challenges Mascherano in the Barcelona area, but he’s too heavy-handed, and concedes a free kick.
7 mins: Barcelona are playing from the back, Sevilla are pressing up the field. The end result is ter Stegen passing the ball to a defender standing right next to him.
6 mins: Vitolo gets down the left and pulls back a dangerous low cross, but it evades the four white shirts waiting in the area.
4 mins: Both Sevilla full-backs push upfield, with Mariano (right) crossing to Escudero (left), whose volley from 18 yards is skewed wide of goal.
3 mins: Vietto gets to the byline and looks to have won a corner off Mascherano, but the referee gives a goal kick. A lively start.
2 mins: Sevilla started with purpose, but they’re almost picked off, with Neymar setting up Suárez in space on the left side of the area. His cross-shot is tipped behind by Rico.
Updated
Peep!
Here we go – and within 20 seconds, Vietto races forward and shoots low from the edge of the box. Ter Stegen is right behind it.
A quick reminder of the line-ups, this time with substitutes:
.@SamNasri19 is included in Jorge Sampaoli's starting XI and @DenisSuarez6 makes Luis Enrique's lineup!#SevillaFCBarça pic.twitter.com/CPIHAbf9zX
— LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) November 6, 2016
Sevilla subs: Sirigu, Kranevitter, Iborra, Correa, Ben Tedder, Kiyotake, Ganso.
Barcelona subs: CIllessen, Arda, Rafinha, Alcàcer, Gomes, Nili, Marlon.
Winter is coming, so who better to invite to the Sánchez Pizjuán than the cast of Game of Thrones?
Hoy tenemos unos invitados muy especiales en el Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán #vamosmisevilla @GameOfThrones #GAMEOFTHRONES pic.twitter.com/p9i0pGyUS5
— Sevilla Fútbol Club (@SevillaFC) November 6, 2016
Head to head
This will be the fifth match between the two teams in 2016, with Barcelona winning the previous four – at Camp Nou in the league, in last season’s Copa del Rey final, and in both legs of the Supercopa – the last time Sevilla lost at home.
Sevilla did win this fixture last season, ending a nine-year wait to beat Barcelona at home in the league with a 2-1 win. Back in 2007, Dani Alves scored the winner for Sevilla against his future team, in a match with three red cards, and a missed Ronaldinho penalty.
Updated
How they stand
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Real Madrid | 11 | 21 | 27 |
| 2 | Barcelona | 10 | 18 | 22 |
| 3 | Villarreal | 11 | 12 | 22 |
| 4 | Atletico Madrid | 11 | 17 | 21 |
| 5 | Sevilla | 10 | 5 | 21 |
As long as they hang on to their 2-0 lead at home to Betis, Villarreal will move up to fourth above Atlético, who lost at Real Sociedad on Saturday. Real Madrid strolled past Leganés earlier today, and will lead the table by four points if there is a draw tonight.
A bold line-up from Sevilla, with Samir Nasri, Vitolo, Franco Vázquez and Pablo Sarabia all set to buzz around behind Vietto up front, and put that makeshift Barcelona back four through its paces. For the visitors, former Sevilla man Denis Suárez replaces André Gomes. Here’s Sid Lowe in conversation with Barcelona’s other Suárez:
Team news
Sevilla: Rico; Escudero, Rami, Carriço, Mariano; N’Zonzi; Nasri, Vitolo, Vázquez, Sarabia; Vietto.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Umtiti, Mascherano, Digne; Busquets, Rakitic, Denis Suárez; Neymar, Messi, Luis Suárez.
Updated
Preamble
By their standards, it’s been a rough month for Barcelona. October saw four wins, but those were bookended by a wild 4-3 loss at Celta Vigo and Wednesday’s defeat to Manchester City, as Pep Guardiola doled out a prescription of Barça’s own medicine. Even when they won, there were problems – they stumbled past Granada, while the last-minute win at Valencia was spoiled by crowd trouble and Andrés Iniesta’s injury.
October was odd for Sevilla, too – they finally won away from home, and the Europa League specialists moved to the verge of the Champions League knockouts. That’s not all – after just one defeat in 10, Jorge Sampaoli’s team are very much in the early title race. Win tonight and they will go above Barcelona, and into second place.
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves; Sevilla are already over-achieving this season after the departures of their manager, midfield linchpin and their leading goalscorer in the summer. Sampaoli has got the best out of a rag-tag batch of incomings, with Luciano Vietto and Samir Nasri rediscovering themselves this season.
More pain for Barcelona, or a reality check for the hosts? It should be fun finding out. Kick-off is at 7.45pm GMT, 8.45pm local.
Updated
