Watch – Sevilla coach’s inspiring speech to his players that led to Barcelona’s downfall | OneFootball

Barcelona’s 1-4 loss to Sevilla last weekend was certainly a setback in their hopes of entering the international break as La Liga leaders.

While the scoreline was painful, it must be remembered that Sevilla were playing at home and for the first time since 2015, they beat the Blaugrana, making their victory a long-awaited moment rather than a reflection of Barcelona’s overall strength.

At the Sánchez Pizjuan, Sevilla came out with high energy and determination, turning the match into a unique challenge.

Barcelona, in contrast, admitted they lacked intensity on the day. From Pedri to Frenkie de Jong to manager Hansi Flick, everyone accepted that the team lacked intensity.

A message from Almeyda

While it was indeed a tough defeat for Barcelona, Sevilla took pride and for all the right reasons.

Historically, they had struggled against the Catalan team and had even conceded nine goals in two matches last season. However, all that changed on Sunday, and Matias Almeyda deserves credit for it.

A leaked video of Almeyda’s pre-match pep talk shows the motivation behind Sevilla’s performance.

The Argentine coach reminded his players that they were the “chosen ones” to break a ten-year losing streak, urging them to approach the game with heart and energy.

“We haven’t beaten Barça in 10 years. 10 years! You couldn’t be more motivated than this. You can break this streak.

“We’ll break it to pave the way. I know it’s not a final, it’s not a knockout match, but it’s a match for pride,” he told his players.

Sevilla brought that inspiration to the pitch, resulting in a spirited performance, even though Barcelona showed glimpses of their quality and were impacted by certain referee decisions.

“And when you play for pride, you play with your heart, and when you play with your heart, you play with balls, and when you play with balls, there are no rivals.

“So go out there and win, for f*ck’s sake,” he added.

Despite the defeat, the focus in Barcelona’s camp is on learning and improving. The players themselves have acknowledged their shortcomings, which demonstrates their professionalism and readiness to bounce back.