Carlo Ancelotti's side strengthened its grasp on second place in the league after recovering from an early setback to triumph at Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.

Rodrygo's free-kick cancelled out Rafa Mir's early opener in an entertaining first half in Andalusia, where Madrid played without their star duo of Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior.

Rodrygo's second goal with just over 20 minutes remaining proved decisive before Marcos Acuna was dismissed as Madrid moved four points clear of rivals Atletico Madrid, who host Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Mir fired Sevilla into a third-minute lead after reacting quickly to sweep into the top-left corner when Bryan Gil's initial effort ricocheted kindly into his path.

Rodrygo spurned a glorious opportunity to equalise shortly after, dragging wide when unmarked from Lucas Vazquez's low cross – but the Madrid winger soon made amends.

An unsighted Yassine Bounou was deceived as Rodrygo whipped a 25-yard free-kick into the bottom-right corner after 29 minutes, although Sevilla should have been ahead at half-time.

Erik Lamela volleyed against the post with Thibaut Courtois stranded, before the forward lifted a back-post chance over after an inviting Alejandro Gomez delivery.

Rodrygo somehow lofted over when one-on-one with Bounou after the break, while Mir turned narrowly wide from Acuna's pinpoint centre.

Yet Rodrygo proved the difference after 69 minutes, coolly finishing a rapid counter-attack by sliding into the bottom-right corner to down Sevilla, who saw Acuna dismissed later on for a mindless lunge on Vazquez.