Lionel Messi and Neymar gave Barcelona an early 2-0 lead, only to see Éver Banega cut the deficit to one before halftime and then Kevin Gameiro scoring a late equalizer to ensure a sharing of the points.
The result reduced Barcelona's lead atop the La Liga table to just two points ahead of Real Madrid, who were 3-0 winners over Eibar earlier on Saturday.
Manager Luis Enrique made the decision to start Jeremy Mathieu in defense ahead of Javier Mascherano, likely taking into account the aerial prowess of the Frenchman over the Argentine. Joining Mathieu in defense was Dani Alves, Gerard Piqué and Jordi Alba in front of goalkeeper Claudio Bravo. In the midfield it was the usual trio of Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic and Andres Iniesta, while Neymar and Luis Suárez were restored to the starting line-up with Messi.
After an initial period in which the two teams felt each other out, an exquisite strike from Messi would open the scoring just shy of 14 minutes. Neymar played a ball across to Messi, and the Argentine cut to his left and slung one of his patented left-footed curlers around Sevilla goalkeeper Sergio Rico and into the net.
Barcelona doubled their lead on the half hour mark when Neymar converted a superb free kick taken just outside the area. The Brazilian curled the ball right over the wall and into the top left corner as a motionless Rico could only stand and watch.
With Barcelona up 2-0, Sevilla dug in their heels and started pressing forward in search of a goal. And just seven minutes after Neymar's strike, the Andalusians would halve the margin when Banega's long-range effort found the back of the net. The Argentine was given enough time and space and fired a shot on goal that Bravo perhaps should have saved. Instead it glanced off the Chilean's hands, struck the inside of the post and went in to make it a 2-1 game.
It looked for all the world that Suárez would make it 3-1 to Barcelona in the 50th minute after a neat combination play from Iniesta and a ball deflected off of Rico giving the Uruguayan an open look at goal, but somehow the former Liverpool man managed to send his effort over the crossbar, much to the dismay of Luis Enrique on the touchline.
That was followed up by a pair of Sevilla misses, with Koke and Carlos Bacca both unable to land a shot on target in the 53rd and 55th minutes, respectively.
As the match entered its final 20 minutes, the points were still very much up for grabs with Sevilla pushing hard for an equalizer and cheered on by their boisterous home fans. Their attacking impetus was rewarded on 83 minutes when the hosts drew level thanks to a goal from substitute Kevin Gameiro. Jose Antonio Reyes intercepted a Pique pass and the veteran fed Aleix Vidal on the right who then crossed for Gameiro, giving the former PSG man an easy push into Bravo's goal to make it 2-2.
There would be no late winner for Barcelona, who now turn their focus to Wednesday's Champions League quarter final clash in France versus PSG.
