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SCORE: Sevilla 2-2 Barcelona
SCORERS: Sevilla - Franco Vazquez 36' Luis Muriel 50'; Barcelona - Luis Suarez 88' Lionel Messi 89'
Sevilla let slip a two goal lead in the final two minutes of the game to allow Barcelona a chance at glory by going through the entire season undefeated.
The hosts were aggressive right from the off and made their good work, on and off the ball, pay by scoring the opener in the 36th minute. Franco Vazquez with the finish, before Luis Muriel made it two in the second half.
Barcelona managed to hold on to their unbeaten record thanks to two goals from their talismanic forwards - Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi.
The Catalans have their miracle to thank for as Sevilla were left with much to ponder on.
On that note, here are our Talking Points for the thriller on a night of magical footballing moments.
#5 Lionel Messi: Doesn't start
Lionel Messi was left out of the starting-eleven by Ernesto Valverde after the La Liga leaders were sweating on his fitness and contemplating whether to risk him or prioritise the more important matches in the pipe-line.
He was left out of the squad in the international friendlies for Argentina as well, citing ‘muscle soreness’ as the reason for not featuring. This would've made the decision harder for the Barca management considering the flack Messi continually receives for favouring Barcelona over his native Argentina.
Messi's absence for his national team was evident in their humiliation at the hands of Spain. Like-wise for Barcelona, the team looked utterly disjointed without him in the side. Luckly for the Catalans though, they had the privilege of bringing him on to effect the game.
Did he? You betcha.
#4 Sevilla put up a performance worthy of praise
Lot to repent for Vincenzo Montella after his side somehow managed to dominate the match for all of 87 minutes and then give it away - way too cheaply - in the following two minutes. Although undoubtedly for the side from Seville, the positives will certainly outweigh the negatives.
Everything seemed to be going exactly according to plan from the first whistle. To add to the conspicuous absence of Leo Messi, Sevilla got off to a great start bossing the play and not allowing Barca to settle into their passing rhythm. The visitors looked completely out of ideas right uptil the moment Messi came on.
And to be fair to Sevilla, specially Guido Pizarro and particularly Steven N'zonzi, they did not let Messi get a sniff of a half of a chance even after he did come on. The Sevilla midfield, including Benega, were quick to close down the Argentine and got the ball off of him more times than all the other teams have managed to in whole of the campaign.
They were quick to close down the leading goal-scorer in the League whereas Luis Suarez made things easier for the hosts by handing them possession on numerous occasions.
All in all a terrific showing from the side currently placed sixth in the league, to say nothing of two wonderfully worked goals and a solid defensive display - the final two minutes not withstanding.
#3 Leo Messi: Doesn't need to start
Lionel Messi makes headlines even when he isn't involved in the game. He makes it for not making the starting eleven. And if you ever doubted why he does make the headlines, we're certain that the final two minutes of the game have helped in rightly dispatching those nonsensical queries of yours.
The Argentine came off the bench in the 58th minute after Sevilla had run his side ragged and scored two. Instantly, it seemed like Messi had managed to breathe life back into Barcelona and they came close on a couple of occasions right after his entry.
Sevilla managed to stifle the magician for most of the remaining minutes until he whipped in the ball from a corner which Suarez put into the back of the net and then scored almost an identical goal to the one he scored against Real Madrid to win it 2-3 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Outrageous effort. Unerring accuracy.
Messi's work on the night was done and so were Sevilla's hopes of beating the champions-elect of Spain.
#2 Sevilla will need a calculator to add up the number of chances they missed
You wouldn't believe us if we told you that Sevilla could've had 6, 7 or 8 goals on the night. You wouldn't believe the number of chances they missed even if you saw the whole game!
How Vincenzo Montella's side did not come away with all three points, besides the brilliance of Messi or even the number of chances they missed, is something we fail to comprehend.
Sevilla kept hitting Barcelona on the break every chance they got and, like we've already said, there were truckloads of them. Muriel and Vazquez could've had a hat-trick each and Navas could've had a brace. Some errant finishing and good goal-keeping kept it at two for Barcelona.
They should have made the most of the opportunity, sorry, multiple opportunities to put the game to bed but didn't, which is why they can't claim to be the team to have stopped Barcelona in their tracks in a season when no one has even come close.
After the humiliation they handed to United at Old Trafford, they have only themselves to blame for not doing the same to Barcelona.
#1 Leo Messi: Far from his best, still the best ever?
On a day when Zlatan won his debut game for LA Galaxy with a stoppage-time header, Mohamed Salah dragged Liverpool from a goal down to win it late against Palace, Sanchez finally managed to score again, Karim Benzema captained Real in his 400th game and City stayed on track to win it all against United, the headlines can only be about one man.
Lionel Messi.
Why you ask? Simply because he is the greatest to have ever played the game.
To think that he was injured and had to come off the bench to inspire his side to an unbelievable comeback in the final two minutes, is only a fragment of what this man does every time he gets onto a football pitch and not just a figment of our imaginations. Go figure.
A 30th goal against the same side in the 89th minute to keep his side unbeaten in the campaign, doesn't even qualify in his top 100 moments of never-ending magic.
Also read: 5 times the game was changed by a swing of Messi's left foot
He was far from his best on the night, regular getting harried off the ball, but two moments in the game were enough to alter the course of the match, and that of history!
Quick to hand the Ballon d'Or to Ronaldo after his blistering start to the calender year?
Think again.
