Raphinha scored a hat trick as Barcelona restored their four-point lead at the top of LaLiga by thrashing Sevilla 5-2 at the Nou Camp.
Dani Olmo and João Cancelo were also on target as Hansi Flick’s side warmed up impressively for the second leg of their Champions League tie against Newcastle.
It was sweet revenge for Barça, who were thrashed 4-1 by Sevilla in October.
On this occasion it was Los Nervionenses who were comprehensively outplayed, though they did pull goals back at the end of each half through Oso and Djibril Sow.
“A lot of things are going in a good way. Some situations on the pitch are not great, but for me it’s OK,” said Barcelona manager Hansi Flick after the game. “Three points more, one game less, we scored five goals, but in the beginning we don’t play with this conviction I want to see. We have many games, I know, and maybe for many players it’s a lot, but to play faster, this is what we have to do. We have to be focused for the next game because Newcastle is a great team.”
Barça’s victory was their 12th in succession at the Nou Camp since returning to their spiritual home in November and took their goal tally in that sequence to 39.
They did it largely without Lamine Yamal, who was kept on the bench until the 67th minute as Flick opted to give the teenage star some rest.
The hosts were gifted the opportunity to take an early lead when Cancelo was clipped in the area by Sow after just seven minutes.
Raphinha gratefully accepted the chance as he calmly dinked home a Panenka-style penalty.
The Brazilian doubled the lead with a second spot kick on 21 minutes after Cancelo again caused problems in the Sevilla box.
This time he wrong-footed José Ángel Carmona with a sharp move and the defender struck the ball with his hand as he slipped.
Raphinha opted for power on this occasion and buried a shot into the bottom corner.
Olmo, who had earlier forced a good save from Odisseas Vlachodimos with a long-range drive, added the third as Sevilla were picked apart in the 38th minute.
Marc Bernal was sent clear down the left and his low cross took a slight deflection to roll perfectly into the path of Olmo, who struck first time from just inside the area.
Sevilla rallied and gave themselves hope in first-half stoppage time as Oso met a superb Juanlu Sanchez cross with a well-placed volley.
Barcelona reasserted themselves after the restart as Raphinha completed his hat trick on 51 minutes.
Fermín López teed up the opportunity with a driving run and Raphinha benefited from a big deflection off Nemanja Gudelj as his shot looped into the net.
Cancelo got on the scoresheet with a fine individual effort on the hour.
The former Manchester City full-back picked up the ball on halfway and powered into the area before cutting inside Gudelj and shooting through the legs of Vlachodimos and in off the post.
Robert Lewandowski spurned two good chances to add to Barça’s lead late on and Sow had the final word when he scored a consolation in stoppage time.
The game also saw the return of Gavi for Barcelona after a nearly six month layoff due to a knee injury. The Spain international came on in the 82nd minute.
“It’s great, also thanks to the medical staff. It’s a good step for him, in the right direction. We don’t know if he will play on Wednesday or next Sunday, but today was great with a clear result,” Flick said. “I also can see in the training he’s really good, great passing, technique. We saw it in the one against one situations, he was there. Everyone in Barça is happy he’s back.”
Gavi said: “It’s been really tough, if I am being honest. It’s been much harder than the previous injury. I have really struggled. The process has been painful the day-to-day has been difficult. After all that, the sensation today back at Camp Nou is unique. I am so happy.
“Flick has always stuck with me, like a father. He has always supported me despite the two serious injuries I have had. I am really grateful because he’s always had confidence in me and I have felt that.”
