By Shamoon HafezBBC Sport
Last updated on 21 December 202121 December 2021.From the section European Football
Barcelona ended a torrid 2021 in disappointing fashion with a La Liga draw at 10-man Sevilla.
Xavi’s men failed to find a win that would have taken them up to fourth.
Sevilla led following a training-ground move from a corner, as Ivan Rakitic rolled the ball into the area for Alejandro Gomez’s first-time finish.
Ronald Araujo’s header levelled before half-time and although Jules Kounde was sent off for throwing the ball at Jordi Alba, Barca could not break through.
Relive Barcelona’s draw at 10-man SevillaThe visitors did have chances with their man advantage but Gavi could not find the target with his free header and Ousmane Dembele curled against the post with six minutes remaining.
On-loan striker Luuk de Jong came on as a substitute and could have netted against his parent club deep in injury-time, but a weak header was straight at Sevilla goalkeeper Bono.
Xavi’s side do move up one spot to seventh, while second-placed Sevilla failed to make up ground on league leaders Real Madrid and are now five points adrift of Carlo Ancelotti’s men.
Barca travel to Mallorca in their next game on 2 January, hoping 2022 brings better fortunes after losing superstar Lionel Messi on a free transfer, sacking manager Ronald Koeman and being knocked out of the Champions League group stage this year.
Line-upsSevillaFormation 4-3-3
13Bono
23Koundé25Reges20Santos Silva4Rekik
8Jordán18Delaney10Rakitic
5Ocampos12Mir24Gómez
13Bono23KoundéBooked at 64mins25Reges20Santos Silva4Rekik8Jordán18DelaneyBooked at 35minsSubstituted forAugustinssonat 86’minutes10RakiticSubstituted forGudeljat 70’minutes5OcamposSubstituted forFattoreat 90+2’minutes12MirSubstituted forEn-Nesyriat 70’minutes24GómezSubstituted forSánchez Velascoat 86’minutesBooked at 87minsSubstitutes1Dmitrovic3Augustinsson6Gudelj11El Haddadi15En-Nesyri27Cruz Hernández31Díaz32Sánchez Velasco36Romero38Zarzana42Fattore43Quintana NavarroBarcelonaFormation 4-3-3
1ter Stegen
4Araújo3Piqué24García18Alba
21de Jong5Busquets30Paez Gaviria
7Dembélé29Jutglà33Ezzalzouli
1ter Stegen4Araújo3Piqué24GarcíaSubstituted forLengletat 72’minutes18Alba21de JongSubstituted forde Jongat 85’minutes5BusquetsBooked at 11mins30Paez GaviriaBooked at 77mins7Dembélé29JutglàSubstituted forGonzález Iglesiasat 73’minutes33EzzalzouliBooked at 73minsSubstitutes6Puig Martí13Murara Neto14Coutinho15Lenglet17de Jong22Mingueza23Umtiti26Peña Sotorres28González Iglesias31Balde Martínez34Sanz37AkhomachReferee:Carlos del Cerro Grande
Attendance:31,358
Live TextMatch ends, Sevilla 1, Barcelona 1.
Second Half ends, Sevilla 1, Barcelona 1.
Attempt saved. Jordi Alba (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Ludwig Augustinsson.
Foul by Nicolás González Iglesias (Barcelona).
Yassine Bounou (Sevilla) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Ludwig Augustinsson (Sevilla).
Attempt saved. Luuk de Jong (Barcelona) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ousmane Dembélé with a cross.
Substitution, Sevilla. Valentino Fattore replaces Lucas Ocampos.
Offside, Sevilla. Yassine Bounou tries a through ball, but Youssef En-Nesyri is caught offside.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Ludwig Augustinsson.
Juanlu Sánchez (Sevilla) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Juanlu Sánchez (Sevilla).
Foul by Nicolás González Iglesias (Barcelona).
Ludwig Augustinsson (Sevilla) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution, Sevilla. Ludwig Augustinsson replaces Thomas Delaney.
Substitution, Sevilla. Juanlu Sánchez replaces Papu Gómez.
Substitution, Barcelona. Luuk de Jong replaces Frenkie de Jong.