Barcelona Vs Levante — barcelona vs levante: 3-0, Bernal, De Jong and Fermín
In a match that restored confidence, barcelona vs levante ended 3-0 as Barcelona dominated and reclaimed the LaLiga lead. Marc Bernal, Frenkie de Jong and Fermín were the scorers while Joao Cancelo was chosen MVP and Pedri returned to the squad.
Early shocks and quick reply
The game began with an immediate Levante chance: at 18 seconds Carlos Álvarez ran through and faced Joan García but remounted a weak shot after pressure from Eric García. At two minutes Jules Koundé had a chance, and at four minutes Barcelona took the lead when Marc Bernal opened the scoring following a move in which Joao Cancelo participated in the origin and Eric García supplied the final pass.
Cancelo named match MVP
Joao Cancelo, the Portuguese fullback aged 31, was named MVP after playing on the left despite being right-footed. He participated in the origin of the 1-0 and provided the pass that set up the 2-0 for Frenkie de Jong. Cancelo described the night as his best since returning in the winter loan spell: "¿Mi mejor partido desde el regreso? Sí, seguro. Se trata de aprovechar la oportunidad, estaba entrenando muy bien y sentía que el entrenador me iba a poner. Cuando entrenas bien, las cosas simplemente fluyen bien en el campo. " He defined his style and focus with another reflection: "soy un lateral ofensivo" and stressed the team first: "Lo importante es la victoria. El fútbol siempre te da una segunda oportunidad y tras dos malos partidos hemos jugado muy bien ante un equipo con muy buenos jugadores pese a su clasificación y hemos merecido el triunfo. En LaLiga cuesta ganar todos los partidos. "
Barcelona control and second goal
The visitors’ early pressure proved a false dawn; at seven minutes Ryan produced a superb save to deny Raphinha and the rebound fell to Robert Lewandowski, the Polish striker, who shot over. The match was effectively decided by the half hour when Frenkie de Jong, arriving from deep, finished a near-range chance from a measured cross by the omnipresent Cancelo. Before the break Lamine Yamal nearly added a third with a low cross-shot that went narrowly past.
Barcelona Vs Levante: closers and substitutions
Hansi Flick had rested Cubarsí, Balde, Fermín and Ferran in his starting XI, while Pedri was again included in the matchday squad and sat on the bench. In the second half Pedri warmed up and eventually entered after the hour, coming on with Ferran and Fermín. Fermín later sealed the win with a left-foot strike from outside the area to close the scoreline. The goalkeeper Ryan still produced a double save in the second half, first to deny a Raphinha header and then to block a close-range attempt from Fermín.
Levante troubles and broader context
Levante missed two clear early chances and ultimately paid dearly; this was their fourth consecutive defeat and the side continues to sink in the table under Luís Castro. Joan García pulled off a one-on-one stop to keep Levante in the game at one point, and a long-range effort from Tunde briefly threatened the visitors’ deficit, but the difference in finishing told at the Camp Nou.
Streaks, precedents and reactions
Barcelona have now scored in their last 45 LaLiga matches, their best run since a 64-game series between 4 February 2012 and 5 October 2013. Historical precedent also points upward: of 22 occasions in which a team had 61 points after 25 LaLiga matches, the title was won 18 times, and Barcelona had won all eight of their previous instances in that situation. The match report was written by Santi Giménez. Observers highlighted Cancelo's recovery and the return of Pedri as the most positive elements: "El mejor partido del luso, y con mucha diferencia, desde que regresó este enero. El buen juego del lateral, junto al gran estado de Bernal y la vuelta de Pedri, las noticias más positivas del partido. "
Several post-match lines and reflections featured in the aftermath. One player said: "En esa jugada he visto el hueco y me ha salido un buen gol. Me da igual la izquierda que la derecha"; another recalled: "De pequeño no podía tirar mucho porque era muy pequeñito. En Linares me insistieron mucho en eso y cuando volví lo tenía trabajado"; and a member of the group added: "Hemos hecho autocrítica. Hoy hemos hecho un gran partido y esta es la línea a seguir. " Separately, Joan Laporta commented on matters off the pitch with the line: “¿El Madrid? Para una vez que no les regalan un piscinazo... que no se quejen”.
Lamine Yamal also reached a milestone noted in the coverage: the young winger has registered 100 wins at 18 years old, and despite not producing his flashiest performance he continues to add to that tally.
Barcelona recovered the LaLiga lead with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Levante; the win offered respite after two successive defeats in recent fixtures and left Levante deeper in crisis.
