Barcelona Vs Levante: Bernal’s early strike and Cancelo’s return drive 3-0 win
Barcelona extended a long scoring streak and reclaimed first place after a 3-0 victory over Levante, a match that underlined both the team’s depth and Levante’s worsening run. The game — a straightforward success for Hansi Flick’s side — mattered because it restored the club to the LaLiga summit and put pressure back on title rivals.
Marc Bernal’s four-minute impact
The opener came just four minutes in when Marc Bernal finished a move initiated by Joao Cancelo. The goal arrived after a frantic start that had featured an earlier Levante chance at 18 seconds by Carlos Álvarez, who faced Joan García one-on-one and struck weakly under pressure from Eric García. Two minutes later Jules Koundé nearly converted, and at seven minutes Raphinha’s effort was kept out by Levante goalkeeper Ryan, whose save then left Robert Lewandowski with a rebound that flew over the bar. Bernal’s early strike settled the contest and allowed Barcelona to impose a prolonged period of dominance.
Joao Cancelo in Barcelona Vs Levante
Joao Cancelo, 31, was one of the match’s defining figures. Playing on the left despite being naturally right-footed, he was credited with involvement in the origin of the 1-0 and with providing the pass that set up Frenkie de Jong’s 2-0. Cancelo’s constant forays and precise deliveries earned him the MVP recognition; he described the display as his best since returning to the club on loan this winter, saying that training well made things flow on the field. Cancelo also struck the post with a close-range service that deceived Ryan but came back off the woodwork.
Frenkie de Jong, Fermín and late seal at Spotify Camp Nou
De Jong extended the advantage on the half-hour mark, arriving late into the area to finish a cross from the omnipresent Cancelo. Lamine Yamal nearly produced a third before the interval with a curled center-shot that went narrowly wide. After the break Pedri — back in the matchday squad and returned to action — entered after the hour alongside Ferran and Fermín; that spell coincided with Levante enjoying more possession but still lacking cutting chances. Fermín then produced a left-footed strike from outside the area to make it 3-0 and close the scoring, while Ryan later produced a double save from a Raphinha header and a close-range attempt by Fermín. The result confirmed how difficult it is for visiting teams to pick up points at the Spotify Camp Nou.
Levante’s missed openings and deepening slump
Levante’s promising moments at the start — including two clear chances squandered in the opening seconds — proved costly. Joan García pulled off a one-on-one stop to deny Olasagasti but the visitors could not sustain threat, and the defeat marked Levante’s fourth consecutive loss, leaving the club sinking in the table and describing it as a deepening crisis.
LaLiga streaks, Cup context and club reactions
Beyond the single match, Barcelona has now scored in 45 consecutive LaLiga games, the club’s best run since a 64-game stretch between February 4, 2012 and October 5, 2013. The result also restored Barcelona to first place in the table — a turnaround that partly heals the wound from two straight defeats, one against Atlético in the Cup and another versus Girona in LaLiga. The club faces the uphill task of overturning a 4-0 deficit from the Metropolitano in the Cup, a comeback that has been described as almost impossible. Historical context underlines the significance: when teams have reached 61 points after 25 matches, they went on to win the title in 18 of 22 instances, and Barcelona had prevailed in each of its eight previous occasions at that mark.
Club president Joan Laporta chimed in on wider league tensions after recent events in Pamplona, expressing that other clubs should not complain in the circumstances. What makes this notable is how the timing of Barcelona’s win — immediately after a rival defeat — allowed Flick’s team to reclaim the lead and reshape the narrative around the title race.
Individual notes from the match include Cancelo’s MVP selection and the milestone that a club prodigy has reached 100 wins at 18 years of age. Hansi Flick’s side combined an efficient offensive display with a measured second half to secure victory and reassert control at the top of LaLiga.
