Raphinha scores hat-trick as Barcelona beat Sevilla 3-1 to keep perfect La Liga start

Comeback at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan

Barcelona extended their winning start in La Liga with a 3-1 victory away against Sevilla on Saturday evening. In temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, Sevilla took the lead after 18 to 19 minutes when French midfielder Youssouf Fofana scored with a header following a cross from Felix Correia. The goal went past goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, who was making his debut for Barcelona. The visitors responded four minutes later in the 22nd minute, as Andreas Christensen provided an assist for Brazilian winger Raphinha to level the score after a sharp turn. Christensen was later forced off with an injury following a collision, while midfielder Frenkie de Jong remained unavailable due to an ongoing knee problem.

Raphinha and Yamal seal the victory

Barcelona took control early in the second half when Raphinha headed in a cross from teenager Lamine Yamal in the 52nd minute. Shortly after striking the post, the Barcelona captain completed his hat-trick in the 69th minute with a lifted finish, again set up by Yamal. The three goals brought Raphinha's tally to 12 league goals in seven matches this season, following another hat-trick scored in Barcelona's 7-2 midweek victory over Racing Santander. Across the opening campaign, the Brazilian has also scored two goals against Feyenoord in the Champions League and provided two assists in a 4-2 league victory against Levante.

Standings in La Liga

The result leaves Barcelona with seven victories in seven league matches, recording 31 goals and a plus-24 goal difference. Barcelona sits provisionally six points clear of second-placed Real Madrid, managed by Jose Mourinho, who hold 18 points with a game in hand before their derby against fourth-placed Atletico Madrid. Real Betis also sits on 18 points ahead of their fixture with Deportivo, while Sevilla remains in fifth place on 13 points. Elsewhere in Spain, Celta Vigo secured an 11th-place position with their first league win, defeating 14th-placed Racing Santander 5-0 through a late brace by Pablo Duran. Athletic Bilbao drew 0-0 with Alaves in San Mames, and Osasuna drew 1-1 against Rayo Vallecano in Pamplona.

Results across European leagues

Across other domestic competitions on Saturday, Mo Salah scored a hat-trick and provided an assist for Noah Saviolo in Trabzonspor's 4-0 home victory against defending Super Lig champions Galatasaray, whose manager Okan Buruk received a 71st-minute red card. In the French Ligue 1, Paris FC defeated Strasbourg 2-1 through goals from Ilan Kebbal and Pablo Pagis, while Lyon defeated Rennes 4-0 behind a brace from Ernest Nuamah. In the German Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund secured a 1-0 win at Stuttgart through Maximilian Beier, and Werder Bremen overcame a two-goal deficit to defeat Augsburg 3-2. In Italy's Serie A, second-placed Inter Milan recovered from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with leaders Roma, and Lazio defeated Venezia 2-0 with goals from Mattia Zaccagni and Tijjani Noslin.