Lewandowski extends scoring streak as Barcelona routs Sevilla ahead of 'clasico' against Real Madrid

MADRID (AP) — Robert Lewandowski scored two more goals to extend his league-leading tally to 12 and Barcelona routed Sevilla 5-1 to open a three-point gap on Real Madrid ahead of next weekend's "clasico."

Pedri and Pablo Torre also scored Sunday for the Catalan club, which restored its lead of La Liga a day after second-place Madrid won 2-1 at Celta Vigo.

Barcelona midfielder Gavi came off the bench to replace Pedri in the 83rd minute, making his return to action nearly a year after a serious knee injury.

“I had been dreaming about this moment for several months,” Gavi said. “It's tough to watch from the outside. I have to enjoy every moment. I feel very lucky to be here today.”

Barcelona will play Madrid on Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Both teams have Champions League matches midweek — Madrid hosts Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday and Barcelona hosts Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

“This was an important win considering the matches that we have ahead,” Pedri said. “We had to leave with a good feeling and the three points.”

Lewandowski scored twice in the first half against the visitors, first by converting a 24th-minute penalty kick and then by finding the net from close range in the 39th.

The Poland striker was coming off a hat trick at Alaves in the previous league round, and had scored twice in the team's win over Young Boys in the Champions League. He has 14 goals in 11 matches in all competitions this season.

Lewandowski, who received a standing ovation when he was substituted in the 65th, nearly got his hat track against Sevilla in a one-on-one situation in the first half.

Pedri scored with a curling shot from outside the area in the 28th and Torre added to the lead from inside the area in the 82nd and with a free kick in the 88th. Raphinha had a 49th-minute goal disallowed for offside.

Barcelona has outscored its league opponents 33-10 this season.

Sevilla, which had no attempts on target in the first half, scored its lone goal in the 87th with 19-year-old substitute Stanis Idumbo.

Barcelona also saw Lamine Yamal return from a muscle strain that saw him leave Spain's squad during the international break.

Barcelona defender Eric García hurt a muscle in the team's warmup and did not play.

Fewer fans than normal watched Atletico Madrid beat Leganes 3-1 in a match played in a partially closed stadium because of recent fan trouble.

Alexander Sorloth scored twice and Antoine Griezmann once after the visitors took the lead in the first half at the Metropolitano stadium, which had an empty fan section behind one of the goals as punishment after Atletico fans threw objects on the field during a city derby against Real Madrid last month.

The section is where the club's more radical supporters usually gather.

Atletico had been originally ordered to close the section for three matches but appealed the decision and the punishment was reduced to a single match. The derby was interrupted for more than 15 minutes after fans threw the objects near Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in a game that ended 1-1.

Sunday's victory, which ended Atletico's three match winless streak in all competitions, moved Diego Simeone's team to third place in the league. It trails Barcelona by seven points.

Atletico midfielder Pablo Barrios and defender Clément Lenglet both got injured.

Griezmann was sent off late in the game after he slid into an opponent, but the red card was changed to a yellow after video review.

Villarreal is in fourth place after conceding an 87th-minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw against Getafe. Santiago Comesaña had put the hosts ahead in the 44th.

Mallorca defeated visiting Rayo Vallecano 1-0 with a goal by Vedat Muriqi in the 75th. It was the fourth win in five matches for Mallorca, which moved to sixth place in the standings. Rayo stayed ninth.

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Barcelona's Raphinha kicks the ball during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Sevilla at the Olimpic Lluis Companys stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Pedri celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Sevilla at the Olimpic Lluis Companys stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Pedri, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Sevilla at the Olimpic Lluis Companys stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Pedri, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Sevilla at the Olimpic Lluis Companys stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal from the penalty spot during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Sevilla at the Olimpic Lluis Companys stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal from the penalty spot during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Sevilla at the Olimpic Lluis Companys stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal from the penalty spot during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Sevilla at the Olimpic Lluis Companys stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates after scoring the opening goal from the penalty spot during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Sevilla at the Olimpic Lluis Companys stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

FILE - A medical worker transports a patient at Mount Sinai Hospital, April 1, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)