Raphinha Hat-Trick Extends Barcelona's Perfect LaLiga Start to Seven Wins

Barcelona maintained their unbeaten LaLiga campaign with a 3-1 victory over Sevilla on September 19, 2026, as Brazilian forward Raphinha scored his second consecutive hat-trick in three days. Sevilla took an early lead through Youssouf Fofana's header in the 19th minute, but Raphinha equalized four minutes later after receiving a pass from Andreas Christensen. The Barcelona forward then added two second-half goals—a header in the 52nd minute assisted by Lamine Yamal, and a clipped finish in the 69th minute—to secure the defending champions' seventh consecutive league win.

Raphinha's performance extended his season tally to 14 goals across all competitions and 12 in LaLiga, achieved across seven matches played. The partnership between Raphinha and 17-year-old winger Lamine Yamal proved decisive, with Yamal providing multiple assists and creating consistent attacking opportunities throughout the match. Barcelona's attack generated 31 goals across their seven-game winning streak, with the team accumulating 21 points and sitting atop the LaLiga table.

The victory moved Barcelona six points clear of Real Madrid, who held a game in hand and were scheduled to face Atletico Madrid on September 20. Sevilla mounted a competitive first-half challenge, with their pressing disrupting Barcelona's rhythm, but ultimately lacked the firepower to maintain their early advantage. The result marked only the second time this season that a team had taken the lead against Barcelona. The match saw Barcelona lose defender Andreas Christensen to injury in the second half, replaced by Gerard Martin, a concern for manager Hansi Flick despite his team's commanding performance.