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By AFP
November 06, 2017

MADRID: Barcelona continued their record-breaking start to a La Liga season by beating Sevilla 2-1 thanks to Paco Alcacer’s double on Saturday in an atmosphere at the Camp Nou marked by the political upheaval in Catalonia.

The hosts could have scored three times in the opening 10 minutes as Clement Lenglet cleared off the line from Sergio Busquets, David Soria denied Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitic fired a long-range effort inches wide.

Alcacer was the surprise choice in Valverde’s starting line-up and he opened the scoring on his first league start since the first day of the season.Suarez’s cross-field pass was miscontrolled horribly by Sergio Escudero and fell perfectly for Alcacer to slot past the advancing Soria.

Barely a threat before half-time, Sevilla came out a different side after the break and levelled just before the hour mark when Guido Pizarro bulleted home Ever Banega’s corner.

Barca reacted immediately, though, and just six minutes later got the winner when Alcacer turned home Rakitic’s precise cross at the near post.On his 600th Barca appearance, Lionel Messi had the chance to make the game safe when his low effort was saved by Soria, but Barca held on to move 11 points clear of Real Madrid.

Valencia remain Barca’s closest challengers, four points back, as they swept aside Leganes 3-0 for a club record seventh straight league win.Dani Parejo’s clever free-kick that skidded underneath the Leganes wall got Valencia off to a perfect start on 14 minutes.

The hosts had to wait until 19 minutes from time to seal the points with a blistering counter-attack that ended with Spanish international Rodrigo heading home Manchester United loanee Andreas Pereira’s cross.

And the team spirit in this Valencia side was demonstrated when habitual penalty-taker Parejo let Santi Mina take responsibility from the spot eight minutes from time to round off the scoring.

By contrast, Atletico Madrid’s struggle for goals continues but Diego Simeone’s men were bailed out by Thomas Partey’s 91st-minute winner in a 1-0 victory at Deportivo la Coruna.