BARCELONA (AFP) - A wonder-goal from Pedri proved the difference for Barcelona on Sunday as a 1-0 win over Sevilla sent Xavi Hernandez’s side up to second in La Liga for the first time this season.
Barca missed a string of chances against a dogged Sevilla at Camp Nou before the 19-year-old Pedri settled the contest with a moment of magic, dancing his way into space on the edge of the area before firing into the corner.
Victory continues Barcelona’s recent surge as they backed up their 4-0 thrashing of Real Madrid before the international break with a convincing win against the team who have been Madrid’s chief title challengers all season.
Madrid edged past Celta Vigo on Saturday to calm suggestions their Clasico nightmare could even prompt a late collapse and let Barca back into the race.
A 12-point advantage means that is surely impossible now but Barcelona are in the driving seat to finish second, which would be a remarkable achievement for a team that only a few months ago had serious concerns about missing out on the top four. When Xavi took over in November, they lay ninth.
The last time the Catalans were second in La Liga after a complete round of fixtures was May 10 last year, three matches before the end of last season.