Raphinha's Hat-Trick Leads Barcelona to Comeback Victory Against Sevilla
Barcelona walked into the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, went a goal down, and still walked out looking every inch like title favourites.
Youssouf Fofana briefly lit up the night for Sevilla, striking in the 19th minute after Roger Torelló’s report, to give the home side exactly what they craved: an early lead and a surge of noise from a restless crowd. For a few minutes, Barcelona looked rattled.
Only a few.
Three minutes later, the noise died. Andreas Christensen split the Sevilla lines with a sharp pass, Raphinha darted into space, and the Brazilian drilled home the equaliser with the calm of a man who has forgotten how to miss. From that moment, the game belonged to Hansi Flick’s side.
Raphinha, the new No. 9
This is a different Barcelona attack, rebuilt on the fly after the summer exits of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres. Flick has pushed Raphinha into the middle, handed him the No. 9 role, and watched him explode.
He didn’t just rescue Barça. He dismantled Sevilla.
Raphinha added two more after the break to complete his hat-trick, dragging Barcelona from 1-0 down to a comfortable 3-1 win and turning the second half into his own showcase. His movement was relentless, his finishing ruthless. Every Sevilla mistake felt like an invitation he was waiting to accept.
Those three goals take him to 12 in seven league appearances this season. Across all competitions, the numbers are even more staggering: 14 goals and three assists in just eight matches. That includes back-to-back hat-tricks inside 72 hours, after his treble in the 7-2 demolition of Racing in the previous round.
This isn’t a hot streak anymore. It’s a statement.
Yamal on the wing, chaos in the box
Raphinha grabbed the headlines, but Lamine Yamal tore Sevilla apart from the flank. The teenager repeatedly drove at Odysseas Vlachodimos’ goal, stretching the backline and dragging defenders out of position. When the gaps opened, he punished them.
Two of Raphinha’s goals came from Yamal’s boot, the winger supplying a pair of precise assists that underlined his growing maturity. Every time he received the ball wide, Sevilla’s defenders backed off a step too far, and that was enough.
As the second half wore on, the pattern became brutal and familiar: Barcelona circulating the ball, Sevilla chasing shadows, the home crowd growing quieter with every passing minute.
Defensive steel behind the fireworks
For all the attacking flair, Flick will be just as pleased with what he saw behind the ball.
Dominik Livakovic, making his debut in goal, looked as if he had been there all season. He handled Sevilla’s best efforts with authority, reading the game well and dealing with danger before it escalated. After Fofana’s opener, the Croatian shut the door.
At the back, Pau Cubarsí and Eric Garcia took control. Once they settled, Sevilla were starved of clear chances. The early wobble vanished, replaced by a defensive line that stepped up, squeezed space, and refused to be dragged into chaos.
The only blemish came with Christensen’s second-half thigh injury, a concern that will nag at Flick in the coming days. Until then, the Dane had been central to Barça’s control in possession and their quick response to going behind.
Top of the table, eyes on what’s next
By the final whistle, Barcelona’s dominance felt routine. They had turned an away trip to one of La Liga’s most intimidating grounds into a controlled, almost comfortable, three-point haul.
They sit top of the La Liga table on 21 points, unbeaten and increasingly convincing. The football is sharper, the pressing more coordinated, and their new focal point in attack is in the form of his life.
Now comes the next test of depth and durability. Flick will assess Christensen’s fitness while preparing for a busy stretch: Getafe in the league on October 10, then a pivotal Champions League clash with Galatasaray three days later.
If Raphinha keeps firing like this, and the balance between their cutting edge and defensive stability holds, the real question isn’t whether Barcelona can stay top.
It’s who, exactly, is going to stop them.
