Espanyol's dream of Champions League football now looks even more distant after the Barcelona side lost 4-2 to Sevilla.
The Catalans found themselves two goals down after Luis Fabiano and Frederic Kanoute struck within 11 minutes for a Sevilla side looking close to their brilliant best, and were unable to get back into the game despite Luis Garcia's strike four minutes before the break.

Christian Poulsen added a third for Sevilla after Espanyol full-back Pablo Zabaleta was sent off.

And, although Ferran Corominas hit back immediately for the home side, Diego Capel struck two minutes later to ensure a third win in four games for Sevilla and another miserable evening for Espanyol.

The first chance of the game fell to Espanyol on four minutes, when Luis Garcia found himself one-on-one with Andres Palop, but saw his effort pushed wide by the Sevilla goalkeeper.

From the resulting corner, Ewerthon then missed a great chance to put the locals ahead.

Ernesto Valverde's side found themselves behind when Luis Fabiano fired home Kanoute's cross after Christian Poulsen had freed the Mali striker with a lovely pass.

The Brazilian then returned the favour five minutes later when he set up Kanoute, who coolly beat Carlos Kameni to put the visitors two up with just 11 minutes on the clock.

Espanyol fought hard to get back into the game, but created little of note until the 28th minute, when Luis Garcia saw his stinging drive pushed wide by Palop.

The visitors continued to play the better football, but Espanyol worked tirelessly to win back possession and received their reward four minutes before half-time.

Ivan De La Pena picked out Zabaleta and the Argentinian full-back rolled the ball back for the advancing Luis Garcia to blast past Palop and give the home side hope for the second period.

And it could have been even better for the Catalans as the interval approached, but Ewerthon sent his header over the bar just before the break.

Espanyol began with intent after the break and Ivica Dragutinovic did well to intercept an Albert Riera cross on 47 minutes.

Moises Hurtado then sent a long-range effort spinning just past the post and Poulsen almost headed into his own net following a corner on the hour-mark.

But Espanyol effectively lost the match when Zabaleta was shown a second yellow card for holding back Capel on 65 minutes.

Poulsen put Sevilla two goals clear nine minutes later, but immediately saw his effort cancelled out when substitute Ferran Corominas brought Espanyol straight back into it.

The home side's hopes of a revival soon evaporated, though, as Capel latched on to Jesus Navas' pass to fire a fourth for the visitors from close-range on 78 minutes.

Jonathan Soriano was incorrectly adjudged offside as Espanyol continued to search for a way back into the game, and the officials were at fault once more on 85 minutes when Kanoute's effort was ruled out for a dubious foul.

Jonathan then missed a great chance to add some respectability to the scoreline in the dying seconds and Espanyol will now slip to five points behind the top four if Atletico Madrid and Villarreal both win on Sunday.

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