Sevilla had a successful start under former Spain coach Julen Lopetegui with a 2-0 win at Espanyol in its Spanish league opener on Sunday.
Sergio Reguilón and Manuel "Nolito" Agudo scored a goal in each half in Sevilla's first competitive match with the new coach.
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Sevilla had a successful start under former Spain coach Julen Lopetegui with a 2-0 win at Espanyol in its Spanish league opener on Sunday.
Reguilón, on loan from Real Madrid, opened the scoring with a shot from close range in the 44th minute, and Nolito sealed the victory after going past a defender inside the area in the 86th.
Sevilla hopes to improve from its sixth-place finish last season.
Two-time defending league champion Barcelona lost 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao on Friday.
Sevilla's Luuk de Jong, foreground and Espanyol's Lluis Lopez challenges for the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Espanyol and Sevilla at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday Aug.18, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)
Sevilla's Luuk de Jong, centre and Espanyol's Naldo challenges for the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Espanyol and Sevilla at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday Aug.18, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)
Sevilla's Luuk de Jong, top, jumps for the ball with Espanyol's Victor Sanchez during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Espanyol and Sevilla at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday Aug.18, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)
This is Lopetegui's first job since being fired after a brief stint with Real Madrid last year. He lost his Spain job just before the 2018 World Cup for taking the Madrid position without telling Spanish soccer officials in advance.
Sevilla's head coach Julen Lopetegui waits for the start of the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Espanyol and Sevilla at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday Aug.18, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)
Reguilón, on loan from Real Madrid, opened the scoring with a shot from close range in the 44th minute, and Nolito sealed the victory after going past a defender inside the area in the 86th.
A penalty was awarded to Espanyol early in the second half, but the call was reversed after video review.
"We did well against a good team," Nolito said. "It wasn't easy, but we got the victory."
Sevilla's Nolito, centre, celebrates with team mates after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Espanyol and Sevilla at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday Aug.18, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)
Sevilla hopes to improve from its sixth-place finish last season.
Earlier, Alavés defeated Levante 1-0 at home with Joselu Sanmartín scoring early in the second half.
On Saturday, Real Madrid opened with a 3-1 win at Celta Vigo.
Sevilla's Nolito, 2nd from right, celebrates with team mates after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Espanyol and Sevilla at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday Aug.18, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)
Two-time defending league champion Barcelona lost 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao on Friday.
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Sevilla's Luuk de Jong, top, jumps for the ball with Espanyol's Victor Sanchez during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Espanyol and Sevilla at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday Aug.18, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)
Sevilla's Luuk de Jong, foreground and Espanyol's Lluis Lopez challenges for the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Espanyol and Sevilla at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday Aug.18, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)
Sevilla's Luuk de Jong, centre and Espanyol's Naldo challenges for the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Espanyol and Sevilla at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday Aug.18, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)
Sevilla's Luuk de Jong, top, jumps for the ball with Espanyol's Victor Sanchez during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Espanyol and Sevilla at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday Aug.18, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)
Barcelona defeated Real Sociedad 1-0 on Thursday to make sure Real Madrid will have to wait at least another week to celebrate the Spanish league title.
Barcelona's away victory reduced its gap to Madrid to 15 points, and it can further cut it to 12 points on Sunday if it defeats Rayo Vallecano at home in a game it has in hand.
Barcelona and Madrid, which won 3-1 at Osasuna on Wednesday, will have five games left. Madrid, trying to clinch its second title in three seasons, doesn’t play this weekend.
Barcelona's plaers celebrate after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
“Madrid was lucky that it took a while for us to join the fight,” Barcelona defender Dani Alves said.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored with a close-range header in the 11th minute to give Barcelona its first win after consecutive home losses against Cádiz in the league and Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League. The Catalan club had not lost two straight home games since 2003.
The victory against Sociedad left Barcelona tied on points with Sevilla, which defeated Levante earlier Thursday to stay in position to secure a Champions League place next season. Second place also is important as it guarantees a spot in the Spanish Super Cup.
Barcelona's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates after scoring the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
“We suffered a lot but in the end we got three golden points and stayed in second place,” Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández said. “It was an important victory even though we didn’t play too well.”
Defending champion Atlético Madrid, which was held to a 0-0 home draw against relegation-threatened Granada on Wednesday, stayed two points behind Barcelona and Sevilla. Fifth-place Real Betis trailed Atlético by four points and was two ahead of Sociedad.
Sociedad has not beaten Barcelona in 12 straight league matches. The Basque Country club hadn't lost in seven consecutive league games at home, all of them with clean sheets.
Barcelona's Dani Alves, left, fights for the ball with Real Sociedad's Diego Rico during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
Barcelona extended its unbeaten streak on the road to 13 league matches, having won five in a row.
Barcelona defender Ronald Araújo left injured early in the second half, and the team's other central defender, Gerard Piqué, appeared to get injured in the first half but stayed until being substituted in the 82nd while being loudly jeered by the Sociedad fans.
Piqué, who also heard some boos every time he touched the ball during the game, has been in the spotlight in recent days after stolen audio leaked to the media exposed a series of conversations between him and Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales talking about behind-the-scenes negotiations on several issues.
Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong, left, vies for the ball with Real Sociedad's Igor Zubeldia during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
SEVILLA RECOVERS
Sevilla improved its chances of making it to the Champions League with a 3-2 win at second-to-last-place Levante.
Jesús “Tecatito” Corona scored two first-half goals and Jules Koundé added another after halftime.
Barcelona's Dani Alves reacts during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
Levante captain José Luis Morales had to be comforted by teammates and opponents after the match because of a missed penalty kick that could have equalized the game at 2-2 in the second half. Koundé gave Sevilla a 3-1 lead about 10 minutes later before Roberto Soldado pulled the hosts closer again.
Levante stayed tied with last-place Alavés, six points from safety.
CÁDIZ FALLS AGAIN
Barcelona's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, left, tries to score next to Real Sociedad's goalkeeper Alex Remiro during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
Cádiz followed up its stunning 1-0 win against Barcelona at the Camp Nou Stadium with a 3-2 home loss against Athletic Bilbao.
The result left Cádiz just outside the relegation zone.
Eighth-place Athletic was up 3-0 by the 33rd. It played a man down from the 71st after Mikel Vesga was sent off.
Barcelona's head coach Xavi Hernandez gestures during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
RELIEF FOR RAYO
Rayo won 1-0 at Espanyol to end a 13-match winless streak in the league and move closer to salvation.
Sergi Guardiola scored in the 42nd to leave the southern Madrid club seven points from the relegation zone in 14th place. Espanyol, sitting in 12th-place, was two points ahead of Rayo.
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