Lethal Lewandowski helps Barca rout Sevilla, Atletico triumph / Photo: Josep LAGO - AFP
Lethal Lewandowski helps Barca rout Sevilla, Atletico triumph
Red-hot Robert Lewandowski and Pablo Torre struck twice each as Barcelona hammered Sevilla 5-1 on Sunday to stay three points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga ahead of next weekend's Clasico.
Earlier Alexander Sorloth's double helped Atletico Madrid, third, come from behind to beat neighbours Leganes 3-1.
Madrid beat Celta Vigo on Saturday to pull level with Hansi Flick's side but Barca swiftly restored their advantage with a stylish and dominant display of attacking football.
Veteran striker Lewandowski reached 12 goals in 10 La Liga matches, his strikes sandwiching Pedri Gonzalez's effort from the edge of the box, before substitute Torre added the fourth.
Stanis Idumbo grabbed a consolation for Sevilla in the final stages but Francisco Garcia Pimienta's side were roundly beaten on his return to the club he spent nearly three decades with in various roles.
Torre finished the rout with a crossed free-kick which flew beyond Nyland and in at the far post and Barcelona were also able to celebrate Gavi's return from a long injury lay-off.
The midfielder came on in the final stages for his first minutes in a Barcelona shirt since suffering a severe knee injury in November 2023.
"It's too difficult, it's not easy (to pick a highlight)," said Flick.
"Three points and five goals... but we are all happy that Gavi's back."
Despite upcoming clashes against Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Saturday's visit to the Santiago Bernabeu, Flick started arguably his strongest fit and available side.
As well as Gavi, the coach was able to name Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez on the bench after injury, while Ansu Fati started for the first time this season.
The Catalans took the lead when Raphinha went down in the box under light contact from Peque, a former Barca youth player, and the referee pointed to the spot.
Lewandowski, stuttering in his run-up, sent Sevilla goalkeeper Orjan Nyland the wrong way to fire Barca ahead in the 24th minute.
The 36-year-old striker is enjoying a second wind under Flick and leads Spain's scoring charts with 12 strikes in 10 matches, twice as many as any other player.
Pedri soon doubled Barcelona's lead from the edge of the box after the hyperactive Lamine Yamal set him up and created another fine chance for Lewandowski.
- Gavi 'deserves this' -
The Polish striker netted his second before the break by guiding home Raphinha's drive from distance with a flick of his boot.
Suffering Sevilla were dealt more bad news before the break when explosive winger Chidera Ejuke limped off injured.
Raphinha fired home early in the second half but was offside, as Barcelona strolled, carving open the Andalucians at their leisure.
Yamal produced an outrageous shot from distance with the outside of his boot which Nyland clawed to safety.
Dodi Lukebakio struck at the other end on a rare Sevilla foray forward but had strayed offside.
Barca midfielder Pablo Torre rattled home the fourth with the aid of a deflection before Gavi appeared as a substitute with a few minutes remaining to a rapturous reception.
"I am very happy to come back after so long out injured, I have been dreaming about this for many months and I am grateful to my teammates who made the process easier for me," Gavi told LaLiga TV.
"The hardest thing is not playing, watching from the outside. It's frustrating, it's tough... I feel fortunate to be back."
Idumbo pulled one back for Sevilla, 13th, but Torre wrapped up Barcelona's night with a stroke of fortune when his free-kick crept in at the far post.
- Sorloth double -
Diego Simeone's Atletico struggled against the minnows from the south of Madrid but after Yvan Neyou blasted the visitors ahead Sorloth levelled with a fine finish and Antoine Griezmann slid home the second.
Norwegian target man Sorloth wrapped up the victory late in stoppage time with a poacher's finish.
"In the second half we improved a bit, above all in speeding up the game," Simeone told Movistar.
Atletico came into the game with just one victory in their last five matches across all competitions.
No supporters filled the lower part of the Metropolitano stadium's south stand, closed by the Spanish football federation after some Atletico fans threw objects at Real Madrid players during the derby in September.
Z.Bianchi--IM
