Raphinha stars in statement Barcelona win
FC Barcelona maintain a four-point lead over Real Madrid as a heavily rotated team thrashed Sevilla.
Amid election day at the club, Hansi Flick’s Barcelona ensured they remain top of LaLiga with a commanding 5–2 victory over Sevilla. The match was shaped early by two penalties in favor of the Blaugrana, who cruised to victory despite heavy rotation. It also marked the emotional return of Gavi, back on the pitch after 203 days out injured.
After a hectic morning in which Camp Nou’s surroundings buzzed with voters, candidates, club figures and politicians exercising their rights, attention shifted back to football in the afternoon. More than 60,000 supporters filled the revamped stadium for the first time and they greeted by one notable surprise: Lamine Yamal began on the bench after missing training due to illness, with Flick prioritizing his fitness for Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Newcastle.
In his place, Roony Bardghji started, while academy graduate Xavi Espart was handed a debut at right-back. Barcelona began sluggishly, disrupted by Sevilla’s aggressive man-to-man marking. The spark arrived through João Cancelo, whose burst down the left led to a one-two with Raphinha before he was brought down in the box. The referee pointed to the spot immediately.
Raphinha with a cheeky penalty to start the scoring for Barcelona 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CIms0KFCcY
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) March 15, 2026
Raphinha converted with a Panenka, asserting himself as the penalty taker in Yamal’s absence. Barcelona then found rhythm through a resurgent Dani Olmo, outstanding throughout the first half. He pressed, distributed and threatened constantly, testing goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos before helping create the second penalty. Once again Cancelo drove into the area, drew a foul and Raphinha finished clinically to double the lead.
Barcelona’s dominance continued as Olmo added a third, finishing powerfully from the edge of the area after an incisive pass from Bernal. Yet complacency crept in. On the stroke of halftime, a lapse by Cancelo allowed Sevilla to pull one back, keeping the contest alive at 3–1.
Any hope of a comeback quickly faded after the break. Flick introduced Fermín López for fresh energy and the midfielder made an instant impact, setting up Raphinha for his third of the night, aided by a deflection. Cancelo then capped his excellent performance by surging forward again and scoring Barcelona’s fifth, sending the crowd — and an animated president Joan Laporta — into raptures.
WIN FOR BARÇA 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9b2W07OWPw
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 15, 2026
The loudest cheers were reserved for Gavi, who entered late in the match and immediately showed his trademark intensity despite nearly seven months on the sidelines. Wearing the captain’s armband passed to him by Ronald Araújo, he symbolized both recovery and continuity for the team.
Sevilla managed a late consolation through Djibril Sow in stoppage time, a product of Barcelona easing off defensively, but the outcome was never in doubt. Flick’s side remain atop LaLiga and, with key players returning, look increasingly equipped for the decisive stretch of the season.
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- 13 Joan Garcia
- 42 Xavi Espart
- 18 Gerard Martín
- 2 Cancelo (65')
- 5 Cubarsí
- 20 Dani Olmo
- 22 Marc Bernal (66')
- 8 Pedri (45')
- 9 Lewandowski -
- 19 Roony (66')
- 11 Raphinha x3 (81')
- Substitutes
- 10 Lamine Yamal (66')
- 43 Tommy
- 36 Cortés
- 4 Ronald Araújo (65')
- 16 Fermín (45')
- 6 Gavi (81')
- 25 Szczesny
- 17 Marc Casadó (66')
- 24 Eric Garcia
- 7 Ferran
- 31 Kochen
- 14 Rashford
- 1 Vlachodimos
- 6 Gudelj
- 16 Juanlu Sanchez
- 5 Nianzou Tanguy Kouassi (69')
- 12 Suazo (45')
- 18 Lucien Agoume (77')
- 20 Djibril Sow
- 36 Oso
- 10 Alexis
- 2 José Ángel Carmona (45')
- 9 Akor Adams (45')
- Substitutes
- 19 Batista Mendy
- 21 Chidera Ejuke (45')
- 24 Januzaj
- 13 Ørjan Haskjold Nyland
- 17 Neal Maupay (45')
- 8 Joan Jordán
- 32 Andrés Castrín (69')
- 11 Ruben Vargas (45')
- 22 Federico Gattoni
- 7 Isaac Romero
- 28 Manu Bueno (77')
- 3 Azpilicueta
Substitutions
Rubén Vargas (45', Gabriel Suazo), Neal Maupay (45', Akor Adams), Chidera Ejuke (45', José Ángel Carmona), Fermín López (45', Pedri), Ronald Araujo (65', João Cancelo), Marc Casadó (66', Marc Bernal), Lamine Yamal (66', Roony Bardghji), Andrés Castrín (69', Tanguy Nianzou), Manu Bueno (77', Lucien Agoumé), Gavi (81', Raphinha)
Goals
1-0, 8': Raphinha, 2-0, 20': Raphinha, 3-0, 37': Dani Olmo, 3-1, 47': Oso, 4-1, 50': Raphinha, 5-1, 59': Cancelo, 5-2, 91': Djibril Sow
Cards
Referee: Juan Martínez Munuera
VAR Referee: Javier Iglesias Villanueva, Juan Luis Pulido Santana
Suazo (36',Yellow)
