Barcelona 1-0 Sevilla: Pedri scores a late solo goal to send Xavi’s side second in LaLiga

Pedri lived up to his coach Xavi’s billing with a brilliant winner in Barcelona’s 1-0 win over Sevilla to send them second on Sunday night at the Camp Nou.

‘For pure talent, there is no one better than him in the world,’ the Barça manager had said of the 19-year-old in February and with moments like the one he produced in the second half it’s hard to argue.

Barcelona had done everything but score against La Liga’s meanest defence. It was going to take something special to penetrate it and Pedri produced the magic.

Pedri created space for himself and fired a stunning shot into the bottom corner to give Barcelona the lead at the Nou Camp

The teenager was overjoyed to get on the scoresheet as the hosts were made to work hard by a stubborn Sevilla defence

With 72 minutes gone Dembele rolled the ball to him in front of the penalty area and he first sent Ivan Rakitic the wrong way with a deft dummy. He feinted again to fool Diego Carlos and open up the space for a shot. He still had to send the ball through a crowd and beat the excellent Bono but with a shot into the side of the net just inside the far post he made it 1-0.

Xavi celebrated more than most. He has demanded that Pedri decide games with winning goals and on one of those nights when it seemed the breakthrough would never come, he had delivered.

Dembele was given a standing ovation when he was taken off on 90 minutes. He had done more than anyone to force the opener that Pedri finally scored. And for all of Barcelona’s domination of chances Sevilla still could have snatched a draw. Marc Andre ter Stegen fluffed a punch in the last minute but reacted brilliantly to block Ludwig Augustinsson’s shot.

The first half had been a catalogue of close calls for Sevilla. With Anthony Martial doing very little at centre-forward to trouble Barcelona, the home side had chance after chance to break the deadlock.

Frenkie de Jong headed over from Dembele’s cross and Jordi Alba then shot just over from Pierre Emerick Aubameyang’s flick into space.

There were half-hearted shouts for handball in both penalty areas but both Ronald Araujo and Karim Rekik had their arms very close to their body and were stuck with the ball at close range.

With the chances beginning to fall to Aubameyang the first goal seemed closer than ever but from yet another Dembele cross, the former Arsneal striker was falling as he tried to finish and for all that he urged the referee to look at the incident there was no foul.

Dembele then nodded down Alba’s cross but Feran Torres couldn’t finish form close ranger. Everything was going through the French winger. He then slipped a pass through to Aubameyang but his shot was blocked.

Frenkie de Jong missed a big chance in the first half with the visitors managing to frustrate Barcelona before the interval

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also went close for Barcelona before Pedri finally broke the deadlock with his fine strike

Sevilla started the second half better and when Dani Alves was robbed by Rekik Erik Lamela could have finished the counter but Marc Andre ter Stegen saved well. Normal business was soon resumed when Pedri tricked his way into the area but again there was no finish.

Sevilla had only conceded 19 goals all season and Barcelona were being increasingly frustrated with Xavi booked for dissent inside the technical area. Sevilla were having the same problems with Martial still getting nothing out of Araujo.

When Sevilla’s defence was breeched Bono was a match for everything. He tipped Ferran Torres’ shot over and Araujo’s header too. Both chances came from Dembele passes.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen had to make a crucial save late on to ensure that Xavi’s outfit took all three points from the game

Pique then began to take matters into his own hands. He tried to catch Bono out with a low shot but the keeper got down low to save. And the defender’s next chance was a header that came back off the bar.

The game was broken now and, making the most of substitute Tecatito Corona’s decoy run, Martial shot and Ter Stegen had to make his second big save.

Barcelona created enough chances to win two game but it looked as if they would be denied the three points. Where was Lionel Messi on a night like this?

No need for Barcelona supporters to dwell in the past thought. The future for Barça is bright, the future is Pedri.

Catalan giants are continuing to develop under Xavi, and they have now moved up to second in LaLiga, behind Real Madrid