{"id":29585,"date":"2017-11-06T15:00:18","date_gmt":"2017-11-06T15:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.byfarthegreatestteam.com\/?p=29585"},"modified":"2017-11-06T11:00:50","modified_gmt":"2017-11-06T11:00:50","slug":"revista-de-la-liga-alcacer-double-drowns-sevilla-wet-camp-nou","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.byfarthegreatestteam.com\/posts\/revista-de-la-liga-alcacer-double-drowns-sevilla-wet-camp-nou\/","title":{"rendered":"Revista de La Liga: An Alcacer double drowns Sevilla at a wet Camp Nou"},"content":{"rendered":"
Camp Nou, Barcelona \u2013 <\/strong>There was a lot to take in before the evening entertainment began on Saturday. Messi\u2019s 600th appearance was greeted with an immense storm an hour before kick-off. Fortunately, the thunder and lightning had relented by the time the ball began moving, but waterproof ponchos were still needed by those who decided not to hover at the back of the stands in an attempt to dodge the rain. Once again, politics and sports mixed. Barca fans unveiled a huge Catalan flag and the word \u2018justice\u2019 before the match in reference to the arrest of ten Catalan politicians and social activists in relation to the independence referendum. Other banners unfurled behind one of the goals were more forthright by proclaiming, \u201cFree all political prisoners\u201d.<\/p>\n With all that to take in, you\u2019d have been forgiven for missing everything going on on the pitch. And there was a lot going on there too as Barcelona made a fast start. Sergio Busquets, Messi and Luis Suarez all had early chances but La Blaugrana<\/em> were unable to take the lead. A lapse in concentration from Samuel Umtiti allowed Luis Muriel to have Sevilla\u2019s first sight of goal, but the forward\u2019s attempt just evaded the top corner.<\/p>\n However, as Leo Messi began to toy with the stretched Sevilla defence, eventually, Barca\u2019s early dominance told as Paco Alcacer \u2013 whose surprise inclusion saw him starting as a right midfielder in a 4-4-2 \u2013 found space in behind the Sevilla defence. A chipped pass over the top was miss-controlled by left-back Sergio Escudero, gifting possession to the poaching Alcacer, who calmly slotted the ball beneath David Soria. Ernesto Valverde\u2019s side looked good for the lead, constantly switching shape and attacking quickly. Sevilla could not get close.<\/p>\n Eduardo Berizzo \u2013 whose tenure as Sevilla manager hasn\u2019t started as smoothly as many expected \u2013 urged his team to push to the next level during his half-time team talk. Sevilla came out on the front foot for the second-half, snapping at Barcelona with a high press, working harder all over the Camp Nou<\/em> pitch. Although Barca still had a lot of the ball, they appeared slow and lethargic. Sevilla took advantage in the 58th minute as Guido Pizarro beat Gerard Pique to a header inside the six-yard area at a corner, powering the ball past the helpless ter Stegen. The small number of travelling fans from Andalucia were soaked yet joyous in the unsheltered top-tier.<\/p>\n Valverde responded immediately, sensing a changing of the tide and hauled off captain Andres Iniesta \u2013 as he has so often this season \u2013 to bring Paulinho into the match. The Brazilian\u2019s direct running and passing made an instant impact and soon enough, Barcelona had restored their lead. Ivan Rakitic \u2013 the former Sevilla captain \u2013 received the ball in space on the right, waited for Alcacer to make his run and whipped a perfect early cross into the penalty area. Alcacer couldn\u2019t miss and finished at the near post, beating Soria to the ball to score his second of the game.<\/p>\n In the end, Barcelona deserved their win \u2013 they were forced to work hard to stretch their unbeaten run to 16 matches. Alcacer outshone his fellow attackers in what was his first start since the opening day of the season but Valverde rather cruelly took the Spaniard off when he was searching for his hat-trick. Luis Suarez worked tirelessly but looked low in self-confidence \u2013 he has scored just three times this season and is now on a run of 451 minutes without a goal, his longest drought since he joined the Catalan side in 2014. Suarez\u2019s confidence and that of which Valverde places in him will be tested after the international break with La Blaugrana<\/em> facing tough away matches against Valencia, Villarreal, and Real Madrid.<\/p>\n Real Betis 2\u20132 Getafe<\/p>\n Valencia 3\u20130 Leganes<\/p>\n Deportivo 0\u20131 Atletico Madrid<\/p>\n Alaves 1\u20130 Espanyol<\/p>\n Barcelona 2\u20131 Sevilla<\/p>\n Levante 1\u20132 Girona<\/p>\n Celta Vigo 3\u20131 Athletic Bilbao<\/p>\n Real Sociedad 3\u20131 Eibar<\/p>\n Villarreal 2\u20130 Malaga<\/p>\n Real Madrid 3\u20130 Las Palmas<\/p>\n El Jugador de la Semana: <\/strong>Paco Alcacer (Barcelona)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Camp Nou, Barcelona \u2013 There was a lot to take in before the evening entertainment began on Saturday. Messi\u2019s 600th appearance was greeted with an immense storm an hour before kick-off. Fortunately, the thunder and lightning had relented by the time the ball began moving, but waterproof ponchos were still needed by those who decided […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":194,"featured_media":23376,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"\"\"","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[928],"tags":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nLos Otros Puntos<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Los Resultados<\/strong><\/h3>\n
La Clasificacion<\/strong><\/h3>\n