Barcelona walked into the Ramón S e1nchez Pizju e1n with a fearsome away record in Andalusia, unbeaten in nine visits to Sevilla across La Liga. They had claimed six wins and three draws, the longest no-loss run Barcelona had managed at Sevilla in the history of the competition.
But that sequence came to a dramatic halt when the Catalan side were thrashed 4-1 by their hosts, a night full of numbers and revelations that Opta revealed after the final whistle.
Sevilla, enjoying a phase of renewal under Argentine coach Mat edas Almeyda, produced one of their best displays of the season, pressing high and moving quickly to break the historical hurdle and claim a long-awaited win.
Alexis Sanchez’s milestone
The Chilean icon opened the scoring early, converting a penalty in the 13th minute, a moment that carried special meaning for the veteran forward.
According to Opta, Sanchez, aged 36 years and 290 days, became the second-oldest player to score a penalty against Barcelona in La Liga in the 21st century, trailing Jose Luis Morales who did so at 38 years and 31 days last August.
A goal that underscored that Sanchez's experience can still swing games even against the biggest sides.
Romero’s imprint
Following Sanchez's goal, Sevilla maintained their edge thanks to the energy of youngster Isaac Romero, delivering a standout performance that added to his growing reputation.
Romero scored the second in the 36th minute and set up the first with a penalty he earned, becoming the first Sevilla player to score and win a penalty against Barcelona in La Liga since detailed stats began in 2003/04.
Numbers highlight the budding talent the Andalusian fans are already banking on.
Lewandowski’s night and Rashford’s spark
Barcelona, despite attempts to fight back, looked defensively and offensively disjointed, especially with Lewandowski misfiring a crucial chance from the spot.
Opta notes the Polish striker has missed 3 of 10 penalties in La Liga since 2022/23, placing him among the league's most wasteful with Iago Aspas, Vedat Muriqi (four misses apiece), and Dani Parejo (three).
Meanwhile, on the brighter side for Barça, Marcus Rashford kept delivering, scoring the visitors' only goal in stoppage time of the first half.
Opta says Rashford now stands as Barca's top all-competition contributor this season, with seven goals plus assists in ten matches (3, 4). That effort shows his hunger but also underscores the lack of support from the rest of the attack.
In the second half, Sevilla exploded offensively as Barca's defense wilted, with Jose Angel Carmona completing the 90th-minute tally and Akor Adams sealing the show with a late strike, securing a historic four-to-one win that ended a long banality for the Andalusian giants.
Signals that worry
The defeat was more than three points; it carried worrying signals for Barcelona under Hansi Flick after their Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain (1-2).
Opta note that this is only the second time Barca have suffered back-to-back losses across all competitions under the German boss, mirroring a streak from December 2024.
The team appeared devoid of a clear identity, and the balance between defense and attack remained an issue despite Flick's attempts at high-press and vertical passes.
Historically, this loss ended Barcelona's longest away unbeaten run at Sevilla in the league, a stat that stood for years before Sevilla’s fresh, hungry outfit capitalized on every error in the blue-and-red defense.
In summary, Opta numbers show the game wasn't ordinary; Sevilla reclaimed confidence with a historic victory, while Barca received a harsh reality check that could force Flick to rethink several tactical ideas.
Punchlines: If Barca's defense were a sniper's target, they'd be blank—still missing. And Sevilla's attacking precision turned a blackout into a bright scoreboard—talk about lighting up the night!
