Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Dani
Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Montoya; Thiago, Alex Song, Iniesta (Xavi
69'); Alexis (Tello 46'), Messi, David Villa (Busquets 79'). 4-3-3.
Sevilla: Beto; Coke, Botía, Fazio, Fernando
Navarro; Maduro (Alberto Moreno 82'), Medel (Kondogbia 54'); Jesús
Navas, Rakitic, Manu del Moral; Babá (Negredo 61'). 4-2-3-1.
Goals:
0-1. 43. Botía. Steered header down past
Víctor Valdés from Coke's cross.
1-1. 52. David Villa. Got on
the end of Dani Alves cross to head wide of Beto.
1-2. 60. Messi. Picked up
Tello's square pass and turned shot under defender.
Yellow cards: Navarro 32', Botía 86'.
Barcelona bounced back from their midweek Champions League defeat to beat Sevilla 2-1 on Saturday evening. They had to come from behind to do so though, ex Barcelona B defender Botía heading the Andalusians in to the lead from Coke's cross shortly before the break. Before that though the locals had dominated the game, albeit without too much effect, Messi bringing a good save out of Beto and then seeing two dangerous free kicks go wide, and Alves having a shot deflected over the bar off the back of a defender. Once again Jordi Roura was standing in for Tito Vilanova, who is having extensive treatment for his illness in New York, and the assistant coach brought on Tello for Alexis at the break. That sparked his team to life, and within fifteen minutes they had turned the scoreline around, David Villa heading in an Alves cross and Messi picking up Tello's square ball to score for a record 15th league game in a row. Unai Emery in particular had been reserving players for the midweek cup semi-final, but with his team behind he turned to Kondogbia and Negredo, and both went close as Sevilla threw caution to the winds. This time though Valdés and his defence held fast to increase their lead at the top of the table to a massive fifteen points.