#2 Sevilla troubled the Barca defence with high-pressing in the first half
Sevilla got their first goal from a swift counter-attacking move, as Messi lost the ball near the Sevilla penalty box, and Wissam Ben Yedder made a surging run into the Barcelona half before passing the ball to Jesus Navas, who was advancing through the right flank. Navas calmly shot the ball past Ter Stegen to score his 4th goal for Sevilla.
Messi equalized soon after, but Sevilla continued to trouble the Barca defence with their high pressing. Ben Yedder had a fantastic match as the lone forward of Sevilla and combined very well with the likes of Navas and Sarabia. Sevilla’s left-back Maximilian Wober also had a lively first half, as he repeatedly made forays into the Barca half.
Ben Yedder, Sarabia and Navas continued to press the Barca defence intensely and their second goal resulted from it. Sevilla won the ball near the Barca penalty box, and it was played to the Sarabia on the right flank. He delivered a neat cross into the penalty box, and Mercado surged into an empty space to bang the ball home. Gerard Pique was caught out of position by this swift move from Sevilla and could do nothing to prevent it.