<p>Barcelona stretched their La Liga lead over Real Madrid to a substantial eight points with a comfortable 3-0 win over Sevilla on Sunday.</p>.<p>The Catalans, aiming to win their first Spanish title since 2019, punished second-placed Madrid for their 1-0 defeat by Real Mallorca earlier on, opening up a wide gap ahead of their rivals.</p>.<p>After a tight first half Jordi Alba broke the deadlock before the hour mark, with further goals from Gavi and Raphinha helping wrap up the win.</p>.<p>Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez had criticised his team in recent weeks for not killing off games after taking the lead but they did not let him down at Camp Nou.</p>.<p>The victory was their 10th in their last 11 league games, while Barca are now unbeaten in 15 matches across all competitions.</p>.<p>Barcelona have conceded just seven goals in La Liga this season, with this their 15th clean sheet.</p>.<p>"I think we are having a very good season, we're playing well, letting opponents have few chances," Alba told DAZN.</p>.<p>"We're happy, eight points clear but there's a long way to go. It's a good distance (if we) keep going like this."</p>.<p>Barcelona's gameplan was initially set back when captain Sergio Busquets was forced off with an ankle injury after just four minutes, replaced by Franck Kessie.</p>.<p>Jorge Sampaoli's Sevilla, 16th after a dismal start to the season, sat deep with five defenders and looked to frustrate the Catalans at every turn.</p>.<p>Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou denied La Liga's top scorer Robert Lewandowski at his near post early on, while Ronald Araujo headed narrowly off-target from a corner.</p>.<p>Bounou flung himself full stretch to foil a vicious Lewandowski drive from distance as Barcelona struggled to forge clear chances.</p>.<p>Sevilla were a little fortunate to survive the first half with 10 men when Ivan Rakitic's late lunge on Araujo was only punished with a yellow card.</p>.<p>Lewandowski nodded wide and Raphinha headed at Bounou at the start of the second half as the team came out with renewed vigour, keen to capitalise on Real Madrid's defeat.</p>.<p>Alba pounced with a tidy finish after a superb assist from Kessie, who turned well and dinked the ball into the Spaniard's path.</p>.<p>After Sevilla shifted to a more attacking formation Raphinha teed up Gavi for the second with a raking low pass that left the youngster with a tap-in at the back post in the 70th minute.</p>.<p>Raphinha provided the cutting edge on a slick 17-pass team move for the goal, in an impressive outing in place of the injured Ousmane Dembele.</p>.<p>Lewandowski dragged a free-kick narrowly wide as Barcelona looked to kill the game off, with the Andalusians flagging.</p>.<p>Alba crossed for former Leeds United winger Raphinha to finish from point-blank range for the third goal, wrapping up a satisfying day for the hosts.</p>.<p>Sevilla's former Barcelona midfielder Rakitic was serenaded by home fans but left dismayed at his team's lack of intent.</p>.<p>"I think that to be able to take something from Camp Nou, you have to be a lot braver," the Croatian told DAZN.</p>.<p>"You have to try, even if it's hard. Waiting so long, in the end a team like Barca will find you out. We have to get points, now."</p>
<p>Barcelona stretched their La Liga lead over Real Madrid to a substantial eight points with a comfortable 3-0 win over Sevilla on Sunday.</p>.<p>The Catalans, aiming to win their first Spanish title since 2019, punished second-placed Madrid for their 1-0 defeat by Real Mallorca earlier on, opening up a wide gap ahead of their rivals.</p>.<p>After a tight first half Jordi Alba broke the deadlock before the hour mark, with further goals from Gavi and Raphinha helping wrap up the win.</p>.<p>Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez had criticised his team in recent weeks for not killing off games after taking the lead but they did not let him down at Camp Nou.</p>.<p>The victory was their 10th in their last 11 league games, while Barca are now unbeaten in 15 matches across all competitions.</p>.<p>Barcelona have conceded just seven goals in La Liga this season, with this their 15th clean sheet.</p>.<p>"I think we are having a very good season, we're playing well, letting opponents have few chances," Alba told DAZN.</p>.<p>"We're happy, eight points clear but there's a long way to go. It's a good distance (if we) keep going like this."</p>.<p>Barcelona's gameplan was initially set back when captain Sergio Busquets was forced off with an ankle injury after just four minutes, replaced by Franck Kessie.</p>.<p>Jorge Sampaoli's Sevilla, 16th after a dismal start to the season, sat deep with five defenders and looked to frustrate the Catalans at every turn.</p>.<p>Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou denied La Liga's top scorer Robert Lewandowski at his near post early on, while Ronald Araujo headed narrowly off-target from a corner.</p>.<p>Bounou flung himself full stretch to foil a vicious Lewandowski drive from distance as Barcelona struggled to forge clear chances.</p>.<p>Sevilla were a little fortunate to survive the first half with 10 men when Ivan Rakitic's late lunge on Araujo was only punished with a yellow card.</p>.<p>Lewandowski nodded wide and Raphinha headed at Bounou at the start of the second half as the team came out with renewed vigour, keen to capitalise on Real Madrid's defeat.</p>.<p>Alba pounced with a tidy finish after a superb assist from Kessie, who turned well and dinked the ball into the Spaniard's path.</p>.<p>After Sevilla shifted to a more attacking formation Raphinha teed up Gavi for the second with a raking low pass that left the youngster with a tap-in at the back post in the 70th minute.</p>.<p>Raphinha provided the cutting edge on a slick 17-pass team move for the goal, in an impressive outing in place of the injured Ousmane Dembele.</p>.<p>Lewandowski dragged a free-kick narrowly wide as Barcelona looked to kill the game off, with the Andalusians flagging.</p>.<p>Alba crossed for former Leeds United winger Raphinha to finish from point-blank range for the third goal, wrapping up a satisfying day for the hosts.</p>.<p>Sevilla's former Barcelona midfielder Rakitic was serenaded by home fans but left dismayed at his team's lack of intent.</p>.<p>"I think that to be able to take something from Camp Nou, you have to be a lot braver," the Croatian told DAZN.</p>.<p>"You have to try, even if it's hard. Waiting so long, in the end a team like Barca will find you out. We have to get points, now."</p>