Barcelona have moved eight points clear at the top of La Liga thanks to an impressive 3-0 win over Sevilla on Sunday.
Barcelona have moved eight points clear at the top of La Liga thanks to a stunning 3-0 victory over Sevilla on Sunday at Camp Nou. Real Madrid's 1-0 setback to Mallorca earlier in the day put pressure on La Blaugrana to respond, and Xavi Hernandez's men aced their test with flying colours.
Before the break, the home team found it challenging to gain ground against a resolute Sevilla team, but they came out firing after the interval with three unanswered goals.
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Jordi Alba raced into the box and scored his first campaign goal before teenage sensation Gavi took a chance on Raphinha's exquisite pass and scored again. The Brazilian's brilliant performance was rewarded with a goal in the dying minutes as he stepped inside to sweep Alba's pass home.
🎥 All the goals and top plays from Barça's 3-0 win over Sevilla
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)Victory at Camp Nou extends the Catalan club's winning streak to 14 games across all competitions, ahead of travelling to Villarreal next weekend, with struggling Sevilla at home to Mallorca.
Despite Barcelona's eight-point lead at the top of La Liga, manager Xavi says that Real Madrid are the favourites to win the league this season.
"They [Real Madrid] are still the favourites because they are the reigning La Liga and Champions League champions. I don't see us as favourites, I see us as candidates. I know and we know that Real Madrid will continue to compete until the end," the Barcelona boss said in quotes reported by La Vanguardia.
"There have been historic comebacks, we mustn't get carried away but we know we are in a privileged position," Xavi added.
🎙| Xavi: "The favorite to win La Liga is Real Madrid because they are the current champion and also of the Champions League. We are candidates."
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra)🎙️ "We can't let our guard down."
— Xavi pic.twitter.com/DvvwgnfcOE
He continued, "Although nothing is definitive, we like being leaders and have played very well in the last two matches. We must enjoy it and prepare for Sunday when we have an important game at La Cerámica against Villarreal. Real Madrid lost there."
"I don't know if we are the most reliable team, but we are in great form. La Liga is a long-distance race. We have to keep working with humility. I'm particularly happy, but I'm already thinking about Villarreal," Xavi concluded.
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Xavi's comments that arch-rivals Real Madrid are still favourites to win the La Liga 2022-23 has sent Barcelona fans into a tizzy, with most supporters claiming that the Spaniard appears to have taken a leaf out of former boss Pep Guardiola's book.
"He has that Guardiola gene," said one Barca fan in praise of Xavi Hernandez, while another added, "He's got the Pep banter & charisma."
A third fan noted, "He's moving like Pep," while a fourth noted, "He unlocked Pep's mind games, the real heir of the throne."
Here's a look at how fans reacted to the Barcelona boss' latest comments on whether the Catalan club can win La Liga from this position:
He has that Guardiola gene https://t.co/RBL01rz6vo
— Spotify Horcrux (@horcrux26)he’s got the pep banter & charisma … https://t.co/CJ4F9GImdR pic.twitter.com/p9faxNK1Ev
— almighty so 🀄️🇭🇳 (@1iveshynedie)these mind games are crazy https://t.co/VQJK9lfGcQ pic.twitter.com/jraXIGiDBa
— ben (@wavybonesburner)He unlocked Pep’s mind games, the real heir of the throne https://t.co/xJFPrVBE69
— Not Carlos (@ALEJANDR0BALDE)He’s truly peps main pupil 😭💞 https://t.co/dA0V3NE9zs
— Chrollo 🇺🇸 (@10Chrollo)He learned from Pep https://t.co/BocV38Et37
— 👻 (@laerafernandez)He moving exactly like Pep 😭😭 https://t.co/NtewtL7whZ pic.twitter.com/J6V0oOMPhc
— ♦️🀄♦️ (@Hexaking1)He unlocked the Pep package https://t.co/DQP3VjeDB9 pic.twitter.com/zYuxOPdWK7
— GolSS (@GolSS6)Thank you Xavi but we are still finished pic.twitter.com/u3f14QK9RK
— J'ai faim🇩🇿ⵣ (@Ilyes_DE_ZED)Xavi pitying over us pic.twitter.com/SDYiQaewQ8
— Ash (@rmcf_ash)He's putting his Pep cap on https://t.co/OKdFi3irsv
— 💷 (@MikeKnowsBall)