First Division - Day 30

Barcelona 3 - Sevilla 0

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Mascherano, Piqué (Digne 77’), Umtiti; Sergi Roberto, Busquets, Rakitic (Carles Aleñá 80’), Iniesta; Messi, Luis Suárez (Paco Alcácer 64’), Neymar. 3-4-3.
Sevilla: Sergio Rico; Mariano, Mercado (Kranevitter 46’), Nico Pareja, Lenglet, Escudero; Nasri (Sarabia 46‘), Iborra (Jovetic 75‘), N’Zonzi, Vitolo; Joaquín Correa. 5-4-1.

Goals:
1-0. 25. Luis Suárez. Acrobatic overhead kick past Rico after Messi centre blocked.
2-0. 28. Messi. Turned shot past keeper after Suárez played back Neymar cross.
3-0. 33. Messi. Struck shot inside near post after corner fell to him on right of area.

Yellow cards: Piqué 15’, Iborra 38’, Vitolo 57’, 91’, Busquets 71’, Rakitic 79’, Aleñá 84’ / red cards: Vitolo 91’.

Barcelona kept up their battle with Real Madrid for the league title, a 3-0 victory over fourth placed Sevilla on Wednesday taking them above their arch rivals for a couple of hours or so pending their match later in the evening. All the goals came in an eight minute period later on in the first half, Luis Suárez opening the scoring with a spectacular overhead kick after Messi’s cross was blocked by Mercado. Messi had rattled the crossbar before that, and he added two more goals before the break, the first after combing with Rakitic, Neymar and Luis Suárez, and the second with a first time shot inside the near post after a corner came out to him. Sampaoli made two changes at the break, and Sarabia tested Ter Stegen a couple of times. But Sergio Rico had to save as well from Messi and Paco Alcácer, and with the game coming to a close Vitolo was sent off after picking up a second booking for a foul on Neymar.