It was as if the international break never happened. Barcelona beat Sevilla 5-1 in another emphatic showcase of attacking power on Sunday evening, picking up where they left off two weeks ago.
The victory was pretty much wrapped up by half-time, by which point Robert Lewandowski had already scored two goals either side of Pedri’s curled effort. For the third consecutive game, Hansi Flick’s team arrived at the break 3-0 up.
Pablo Torre topped the night off with two more goals in the second half, with Stanis Ibumbo scoring Sevilla’s consolation.
The win preserved Barca’s three-point lead over defending champions Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, but it will also be remembered for the return of Gavi. Home fans celebrated seeing the 20-year-old make his comeback from an anterior cruciate ligament knee injury he suffered 11 months ago.
It all leaves Barcelona in high spirits for their most important week of the season so far. On Wednesday they host Bayern Munich in the Champions League. On Saturday, they face Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in El Clasico.
Lewandowski showing form like Messi
Now with 12 goals from 10 La Liga games, Lewandowski is only the second player in Barcelona history to reach those numbers at this stage of the domestic campaign — the other is Lionel Messi.
It is impressive to witness the new lease of life the Polish striker has found under Flick. Not only is he finding the net, but his involvement in build-up play and his positioning have also drastically improved this term.
After a pre-season where concerns were piling up over the weight of his lucrative contract, the 36-year-old has silenced any doubters by doing what he does best. His first goal against Sevilla came from a well-taken penalty, the second was a predatory reaction to turn in Raphinha’s shot.
There was not necessarily much action needed in either case, but who cares? Barcelona signed him to find the net, and reaching the games against Bayern and Madrid with a fired-up version of their main striker was something fans might not have dared dream of just a few months ago.
Pedri adding goals to his game
Pedri has already scored three goals from 10 La Liga appearances this season — when the best tally he’s registered in the competition is the six he scored in 26 games over 2022-2023.
His goal against Sevilla encapsulated how much of a new player he is now. Receiving the ball on the edge of the box from Lamine Yamal (after a clever dummy by Jules Kounde), he did not think twice before sending the ball into the top corner of Orjan Nyland’s net.
It was an impressive strike, one that reflects his positive mindset, trying to leave his injury problems behind.
Over the past three seasons Pedri missed 85 games through injury with Barcelona and Spain. Now, after a lot of individual work and deep analysis on the reasons behind his physical problems (the period has also seen a complete revamp of Barca’s physical trainers), the 21-year-old has featured in every game for club and country this season. It feels like he is rediscovering the peak of his powers.
Pau Cubarsi, the silent star
The 17-year-old centre-back might not make the headlines after another full-force attacking display from Barca but he should because, once again, his performance was up there with the elite standards of top European football.
In possession, Cubarsi offered a masterclass on how to perform like a modern ball-playing centre-back. When asked to defend, he was an absolute bulldozer.
We often hear praise for Yamal’s incredible talent at such a young age — and rightly so, the 17-year-old forward has been performing at unreal levels. But Cubarsi should be considered a freak of nature of a very similar magnitude.
His passing from the back is one of the main strengths behind Barcelona’s fluid game. It helps the team find midfielders and attackers in favorable positions and, last night, it neutralised every Sevilla effort to press them. Any time their attackers stepped up, Cubarsi found a way through the lines.
By half-time, Sevilla manager Garcia Pimienta simply gave up on that plan, replacing injured winger Chidera Ejuke with Albert Sambi Lokonga, the holding midfielder on loan from Arsenal, and forgetting about high pressing.
Gavi’s night to remember
Sunday night will surely live long in Gavi’s memory. Having last played a football game 336 days previously, when he was injured playing for Spain, he returned to the pitch with Barca.
Supporters were cheering as soon as he stepped onto the pitch for the pre-match warm up. When he emerged from the bench with about 10 minutes to play, and with his side 4-0 up, the whole stadium rose to give him a standing ovation. Pedri handed him the captain’s armband as he came off.
It told you everything you need to know about Gavi’s special place at the club. He is one of Barca’s brightest young talents, but he’s also hugely appreciated for his attitude and drive on the pitch.
Gavi had been training for about a month with the first-team before making his return. Club sources told The Athletic that, years ago, a player with his injury would have returned a month earlier, but Barca decided to be extremely careful with him. They wanted to make sure he returns at his best for the long run.
(Top photo: Josep Lago/AFP via Getty Images)
