Robert Lewandowski scored twice, boosting his league-leading total to 12 goals as Barcelona cruised to a 5-1 victory over Sevilla, creating a three-point cushion over Real Madrid ahead of next weekend’s highly anticipated “El Clasico.”
Pedri and Pablo Torre also found the net for the Catalan giants, who reclaimed their top spot in La Liga just one day after second-place Madrid secured a 2-1 win against Celta Vigo.
In a notable comeback, Barcelona midfielder Gavi made his return from a serious knee injury, coming off the bench to replace Pedri in the 83rd minute nearly a year after his absence.
Barcelona will play Madrid on Saturday at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Both teams have Champions League matches midweek: Madrid hosts Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, and Barcelona hosts Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Lewandowski scored twice in the first half against Sevilla, first converting a 24th-minute penalty kick and then finding the net from close range in the 39th minute.
The Poland striker was coming off a hat trick at Alaves in the previous league round and had scored twice in the team’s win over Young Boys in the Champions League. He has 14 goals in 11 matches across all competitions this season.
Lewandowski, who received a standing ovation when he was substituted in the 65th minute, nearly got his hat trick against Sevilla in a one-on-one situation in the first half.
Pedri scored with a curling shot from outside the area in the 28th minute, and Torre added to the lead with a goal from inside the area in the 82nd minute and a free kick in the 88th. Raphinha had a 49th-minute goal disallowed for offside.
Barcelona has outscored its league opponents 33-10 this season.
Sevilla, which had no attempts on target in the first half, scored its lone goal in the 87th minute with a strike from 19-year-old substitute Stanis Idumbo.
Barcelona also saw Lamine Yamal return from a muscle strain that had caused him to leave Spain’s squad during the international break.
Fewer fans than normal watched Atletico Madrid beat Leganes 3-1 in a match played in a partially closed stadium due to recent fan trouble.
Alexander Sorloth scored twice, and Antoine Griezmann added another after the visitors took the lead in the first half at Metropolitano Stadium, which had an empty fan section behind one of the goals as punishment for Atletico fans throwing objects on the field during a city derby against Real Madrid last month.
The section is where the club’s more radical supporters usually gather.
Atletico had originally been ordered to close the section for three matches but appealed the decision, and the punishment was reduced to a single match. The derby was interrupted for more than 15 minutes after fans threw objects near Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in a game that ended in a 1-1 draw.
Sunday’s victory, which ended Atletico’s three-match winless streak in all competitions, moved Diego Simeone’s team to third place in the league, trailing Barcelona by seven points.
Villarreal is in fourth place after conceding an 87th-minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw against Getafe. Santiago Comesana had put the hosts ahead in the 44th minute.
Mallorca defeated visiting Rayo Vallecano 1-0 with a goal by Vedat Muriqi in the 75th minute. It was the fourth win in five matches for Mallorca, which moved to sixth place in the standings, while Rayo remained in ninth.
Content Source: www.dailysabah.com