On a fine series of six consecutive victories in La Liga, FC Barcelona has come a long way and can almost believe in the title… if it continues on this path. But after a disappointing draw in the Europa League this week, in Frankfurt (1-1), the Catalans began to doubt and needed to be reassured in the Championship. With Pedri on the bench, Nico lined up in midfield and a Dembélé-Aubameyang-Torres attack, Barça was struggling to make a difference on the lawn of the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia.
On the contrary, the Granotes could have quickly taken the lead in this part after a huge error from Alves, but Morales missed the target (1st). Uninspired offensively, FC Barcelona fell back into their early season failings and made too many defensive errors, allowing Morales, again, to make a sublime breakthrough… forcing ter Stegen to deviate at the last moment (26th). Before seeing Araujo save his family in front of Marti (29th).
Clément Lenglet weighs down Barça…
And after a complicated first period, Barça started the second in the worst possible way. In the hard, Alves was late and offered a penalty logically awarded to Levante … then converted by Morales (1-0, 53rd). Close to the worst, Xavi’s men then conceded a new penalty after a hand from Garcia… but this time, ter Stegen pulled out all the stops (55′). A miraculous rescue allowing his people to get back into the game since on the counter-attack following the stoppage, Aubameyang equalized against the course of the game with a beautiful crossed header (1-1, 59th).
At the end of the game, Xavi made the choice to bring in the young Pedri and Gavi. A clearly paying choice, because the two men allowed Barça to take the advantage. Gavi served Pedri back from 18 meters, who deceived the opposing goalkeeper with a cross shot (2-1, 63rd). In less than ten minutes, we thought that Barça had turned the tables. While Levante already seemed beaten, Lenglet, on his first contact since coming into play, offered a gift penalty to the Granotes … transformed by Melero at the end of the match (2-2, 83rd).
… but De Jong air-conditions Levante!
Feverish defensively, Barça has yet found the resource to get out of this trap. In stoppage time, Alba found Luuk De Jong … who saved FCB by scoring the third goal, with a fine header (3-2, 90th + 3). Barça therefore has a seventh success and will have to continue against Cadiz, because the title race is not over. For its part, Levante may have big regrets and will absolutely have to win in Granada to hope to get out of the red zone.