Barcelona 1-0 Sevilla: Sergio Ramos scores an own goal to send the hosts top of LaLiga as the Real Madrid legend’s blunder is the difference-maker for all the wrong reasons

• Sergio Ramos scored the game’s only goal as Sevilla succumbed to Barcelona
• The Real Madrid legend put the ball into his own net in the 76th-minute
• Mail Sport’s new WhatsApp Channel: Get the breaking news and exclusives here

Sergio Ramos scored for Barcelona to send Xavi’s team back to the top of La Liga. Yes, you read that right.

The Sevilla defender put the ball past his own keeper on 76 minutes to the double delight of the Barça supporters inside the Olympic Stadium who had whistled his every touch.

At the grand old age of 37 Ramos was facing Barcelona for the first time since he left Real Madrid in 2021 and it did not end well.

Ferran Torres crossed and Lamine Yamal headed down towards Fermin Lopez but the cross was intercepted by Ramos who steered back past Orjan Nyland in the Sevilla goal.

He pointed agonizingly at the ball as it squirmed past the keeper but the Norwegian could not react in time and in it went to finally put the home side ahead.

Sergio Ramos scored the game’s only goal after tucking the ball into his own net against Barcelona

Ramos returned to Sevilla in the summer but endured a nightmare return to the capital

Barcelona weren’t at their best but escaped with three points against Sevilla

The 16-year-old Yamal had walked out on to the pitch as one of the mascots in a Clasico back in 2016 hand in hand with Ramos and now they had combined to bring about a Barcelona goal.

Ramos inadvertent generosity contrasted starkly with the mean spirited prelude to the game. Sevilla snubbed the pre-match meal between directors in a protest at the on-going investigation into Barcelona paying over 7m euros to a referees chief during an 18-year period. 

And Barcelona responded to the affront by slamming what they called in a statement: ‘an unjustified and inappropriate attack’ on the club.

With relations between the two broken the game kicked off and Barcelona bossed the first half in which ‘Joao power’ should have given them an early lead. Joao Cancelo dribbled between two Sevilla defenders and played in clever pass into Joao Felix but he smashed his shot on to the crossbar.

Ramos was impressive at the back for Sevilla in the first half although had he not stretched to get on the end of an Ivan Rakitic free-kick Dodi Lukebakio might have finished it for the visitors. The former Hertha Berlin winger was causing problems on the counter attack and was coming in behind Ramos to meet the set-piece.

Barcelona’s 16-year-old Lamine Yamal had previously walked out at the Nou Camp as a mascot alongside Ramos, now he was playing against him

Barcelona manager Xavi watched his side re-establish their lead at the top of LaLiga

Raphinha might have scored for Barcelona before going off with a hamstring injury midway through the first half. And his replacement Fermin might also have broken the deadlock when played in by Yamal but his shot on the turn was saved by Nyland.

Barcelona dominated from the restart but they were still unable to open the scoring with the impressive 20-year-old Juanlu sliding in to block Robert Lewandowski’s shot.

Xavi took Joao Felix with 20 minutes left and Ferran came on. Sevilla’s chances were few and far between but Rakitic headed one wide.

In the end it was a Sevilla player who did at last score. But it’s not a goal that Ramos will ever want to see again.

Source: Read Full Article