Barcelona won 3-1 at Sevilla on Saturday, and Raphinha scored all three. It was his second hat-trick in consecutive games, and it leaves Barcelona with seven wins from seven in La Liga.
That is the whole of the title defence so far: played seven, won seven, six points clear of Real Madrid before the Madrid derby on Sunday. Raphinha has 12 goals in seven league appearances. AFP reported that the club's sporting director, Deco, had said before kick-off that the forward had agreed to extend his contract to 2030.
Sevilla led through a Fofana header
Youssouf Fofana put Sevilla ahead in the 19th minute at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, heading in at the near post from Félix Correia's cross, past Dominik Livakovic. Lamine Yamal had already hit the post.
The lead lasted three minutes, by Barcelona's own account. Andreas Christensen played Raphinha in behind, and the captain turned his marker and finished across the goalkeeper. Raphinha scored twice more after the break, and Yamal made both.
The four match reports published overnight gave four different sets of minutes for the three goals, so they are not stated here. All of them agree on the order: an equaliser before half-time, two more after it.
By Barcelona's own description of the game, Sevilla pressed hard, closed the spaces and forced the kind of errors the leaders have rarely made this season, and carried a threat on the break for as long as the match stayed close.
Highlights via FC Barcelona
A debut in goal for Livakovic
Dominik Livakovic made his first appearance for Barcelona, with Joan Garcia out with a knee problem that also keeps him out of Spain's squad during the international break. Hansi Flick named the Croatian rather than Wojciech Szczęsny, who had played at home to Racing Santander.
"We give him the balls and he scores the goals"
Raphinha's first hat-trick of the week came in the 7-2 win over Racing Santander on Wednesday. His team-mate Fermín López was asked about the run afterwards.
He's very good and can adapt to any position up front. We give him the balls and he scores the goals.
Fermín López, speaking to Movistar, in comments reported by AFP
What it means at the top
Barcelona go into the international break with a perfect record and a six-point lead. Sevilla, who started the evening fifth, have now lost to the leaders at home after beating them by three goals there last season. Atlético Madrid host Real Madrid on Sunday, and that is the next chance anyone has to cut the gap.
