Spanish champions Barcelona collapsed in a shock 4-1 demolition at Sevilla on Sunday in La Liga, with Alexis Sanchez scoring in opposition to his former facet and Robert Lewandowski lacking a penalty for the guests.

Sevilla’s Nigerian ahead Akor Jerome Adams celebrates scoring his workforce’s fourth objective(AFP)

The Catalans sit second within the desk after their first league defeat of the marketing campaign, two factors behind bitter rivals Real Madrid following Los Blancos’ victory over Villarreal on Saturday, whereas Sevilla rise to sixth.

Real Betis moved fourth with a 2-1 win at Espanyol, due to a stoppage-time penalty save by their goalkeeper Pau Lopez, who previously performed for the Catalans.

Atletico Madrid stumbled to a 1-1 draw at Celta Vigo after having Clement Lenglet despatched off within the first half and sit fifth.

Veteran Chilean winger Sanchez put Sevilla forward from the penalty spot early on in opposition to Barca and Isaac Romero doubled the hosts’ lead after having already missed two good probabilities.

Marcus Rashford pulled a objective again earlier than half-time, however Lewandowski fired huge from the spot to spurn his workforce’s finest probability of an equaliser.

Jose Carmona and Akor Adams wrapped up Sevilla’s emphatic win within the last levels, as Hansi Flick’s facet fell to an unusually heavy defeat.

“The team’s first 45 minutes were horrendous. I think we’ve not played a game as bad as that and we must be self-critical,” Barca midfielder Pedri Gonzalez instructed the membership’s media channel.

Flick defended his workforce regardless of their loss, saying that he was happy with their response within the second half.

“It’s one match and we lost it, and we have to keep going,” he mentioned.

Barcelona have been nonetheless licking their wounds after Paris Saint-Germain beat them late on within the Champions League on Wednesday, and have been with out injured teenage star Lamine Yamal.

“In the first half we didn’t know how to defend well or attack well,” Pedri instructed Movistar, of his workforce’s sluggish show.

The rout started when Ronald Araujo clumsily grappled with Romero within the field and conceded a penalty.

Sanchez dispatched it, with the 36-year-old sending Wojciech Szczesny the incorrect approach to fireplace Matias Almeyda’s facet forward.

Sevilla rampant

Romero swept into the underside nook from Ruben Vargas’s cutback for the second as Barca have been opened up simply once more.

Rashford was the primary Barcelona participant to awake from their slumber and pulled the champions again into the sport deep in first-half stoppage time, volleying house Pedri’s cross for his first La Liga objective.

Having gained only one league recreation on the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan in 2025 earlier than Barcelona’s go to, the hosts’ nerves started to shake.

Sevilla substitute Adnan Januzaj conceded a penalty for felling Balde as he flew into the field, granting Barca a golden probability to degree.

Veteran Polish striker Lewandowski stuttered twice in his run-up earlier than firing huge of the put up.

Youngster Roony Bardghji may have equalised however fired straight on the goalkeeper after Lewandowski’s flick-on despatched him in on objective.

Sevilla wrapped up their win late on via full-back Carmona, who drilled a low effort previous Szczesny and into the far nook, and Adams.

“I’m very happy for the victory, we needed to win at home,” mentioned Sevilla coach Almeyda.

“We could not give them a metre of area… we knew what we needed to do and we’re on a great path.”

Atletico drop factors

Atletico’s draw at Celta left them eight factors behind leaders Real Madrid and 6 behind Barca.

A Carl Starfelt own-goal put Atletico forward earlier than Lenglet was despatched off within the fortieth minute for 2 yellow playing cards.

Iago Aspas, who equalled the report for many Celta appearances, bundled house an equaliser within the second half, with the hosts on high however unable to discover a winner.

It was Celta’s sixth 1-1 draw of the season in eight league video games, with the Galician facet but to win.

Atletico had gained their prior three throughout all competitions, together with a 5-2 thrashing of Real Madrid final weekend.

“I’m very happy with the work of my players,” mentioned an aggravated Simeone repeatedly, in reply to varied questions concerning the recreation.

The coach had proven his anger on the touchline on the determination to ship off Lenglet for 2 fouls on Ferran Jutgla.

Promoted facet Elche fell to their first defeat of the season, a 3-1 loss at Alaves that left them seventh.

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