RECALLED Paco Alcacer outshone Lionel Messi as his match-winning double boosted Barcelona’s lead in La Liga.
The Spain striker shot home neatly on 23 and 65 minutes, with Guido Pizarro levelling temporarily for Sevilla with a stunning header.
Barca were comfortably on top before the break but Sevilla bossed the early stages of the second half.
Ernesto Valverde’s men. though, looked slick once more once Alcacer rounded off a clinical move that peaked with Messi’s clever pass out to the right and Ivan Rakitic’s precision cross.
Former Valencia star Alcacer now has nine goals in nine starts this term.
And his razor-sharp instincts were the decisive factor against a Sevilla side who showed increasing confidence in the 20 minutes before’s Alcacer’s clincher.
Barcelona are four points clear of second-placed Valencia – and eleven clear of Real Madrid in fourth.
That will be a huge embarrassment for European champions Real, who are finally edging Gareth Bale back to full fitness.
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Nonetheless, apart from a scintillating first ten minutes, Barca were never at their rampant best.
And fith-placed Sevilla showed more than enough to suggest they can challenge for a top-four spot.
It was a landmark night for Messi – his 600th Barcelona appearance.
But, like Barca’s, his was a performance often more about style than substance.
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