BARCELONA: Champions Barcelona suffered their second defeat in three matches in La Liga on Saturday with Michael Krohn-Dehli scoring and setting up another goal in a 2-1 victory for Sevilla.

Denmark international Krohn-Dehli tucked the ball home after 52 minutes following a pass from Kevin Gameiro to give Sevilla the lead and then provided a cross for Vicente Iborra to nod in six minutes later.

Neymar scored Barca’s lone goal by converting a 74th-minute penalty kick as the Catalans, with Lionel Messi absent through injury, struck the post five times and were stopped by an outstanding performance by Sevilla goalkeeper Sergio Rico.

Barca have 15 points from seven games, a point behind leaders Villarreal who were playing later on Sunday.

“It is frustrating to lose like that as we had several chances and they scored with the first two they had,” Barca midfielder Ivan Rakitic told reporters. “We now have to lift ourselves and go for everything in the next few games.”

Elsewhere, Charles grabbed a hat-trick for Malaga in a 3-1 victory over Real Sociedad who scored through Imanol Agirretxe.

Piti’s goal gave Granada a 1-1 draw at home to Deportivo La Coruna after Faycal Fajr had given the visitors the lead.

Saul Berjon and Borja Baston struck for Eibar in a 2-0 triumph at Las Palmas while Alex Menendez’s injury-time winner helped Sporting Gijon beat Espanyol 2-1.

On Sunday, striker Aritz Aduriz set up Athletic Bilbao’s second goal and added another to seal the Basque side’s 3-1 win at home over Valencia.

Valencia fell to ninth place on nine points, two behind Real Betis who won 2-0 at Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, while Athletic are 13th with seven points.

Published in Dawn, October 5th , 2015

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