After their Copa del Rey heroics, Barcelona laboured to a 2-0 win over bottom-placed club Levante, who were unlucky not to come away with a draw
1.00pm GMT
If Levante perform like that for the rest of the season, they will stay up. It’s points they need though, five points clear of safety and rock bottom of La Liga. If Guiseppe Rossi can stay fit, he should give them the cutting edge up top that they have been so sorely missing so far this season: still just 21 goals scored in 23 league games.
The woodwork spared Barcelona’s blushes today, this was probably their worst performance of the season. A lucky own goal and a counter-attack in the dying seconds was enough for the Catalan side – quite the departure from their 7-0 win over Levante rivals Valencia on Wednesday. But it is another win, Luis Enrique’s 80th in his 100th game in charge. Barcelona are three points clear at the top: this was their 28th match unbeaten in all competitions, which is a joint-club record with Pep Guardiola’s amazing team of 2010/11. Let’s see if they can surpass that record on Wednesday when they go to the Mestalla for the second leg of the Copa del Rey.
12.53pm GMT
That is that. Great performance by Levante but Barcelona get the job done: they are three points clear of Atlético Madrid, with a game in hand, and seven points clear of Real Madrid.
12.51pm GMT
A classic counter attack goal. You can’t really blame Levante for committing bodies forward – they had nothing to lose – but Barca make them pay. Messi latches onto the clearance from the Levante free kick, turns inside Tono, and squares the ball to Suarez, who has a free run in on goal from the half-way line. The Uruguayan steadies himself and brushes the ball into the bottom corner with the outside of this foot. He had Neymar outside him if he wanted, but Suarez didn’t need him. Suarez is now the Pichichi leader, he has 20 league goals this season, one ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo.
12.48pm GMT
90 min: Two minutes added on here. Can Levante push forward and get a deserved equaliser? They’ve got a free kick after Suarez bundles Tono over. Everybody forward!
12.46pm GMT
88 min: The biggest compliment I can pay Levante is that Barcelona’s best player today has been Mascherano. The Argentinian has read the danger expertly today, and mopped up well when Pique and Alves have been caught out of position.
12.44pm GMT
85 min: Luis Enrique is looking very nervous on the touchline. “Nothing silly!” he shouts, if my Spanish is not mistaken.
In answer to my question earlier about sportspersons singing, this is a magnificent from Martijn in ‘t Veld.
12.41pm GMT
83 min: Ivan Lopez takes his medicine – yellow-card flavoured medicine – after blatantly holding Neymar back on a dangerous Barcelona counter-attack. Good foul that, Barcelona were three on three there.
12.39pm GMT
81 min: Cuero is starting to worry Alba on Levante’s right-hand side. The Colombian is the Valencia club’s record signing: a €3m from Romanian side FC Vaslui from January.
12.36pm GMT
79 min: Levante are on the offensive, but struggling for any real quality in the final third. Barcelona would take the 1-0 win at this point. Pique takes a bash on the mouth after a coming-together with Rossi. Ouch.
12.35pm GMT
76 min: Final change for Levante - Verza off and Cuero comes on. Another strange decision by Rubi. But the manager has got the rest of his tactics spot on today, so let’s go ahead and trust him on this one.
12.34pm GMT
75 min: More hot MBM action here, with Nick Ames …
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12.32pm GMT
73 min: Another sub for Barca: Dani Alves off, Aleix Vidal on. Alves has been poor today, hasn’t got forward to provide his team with width going forward, and has looked susceptible at the back. Morales has had the beating of his all day.
12.31pm GMT
71 min: Levante pour forward but Morales loses the ball and Barcelona counter-attack at pace. Messi brings it forward, and Barcelona have three on three! But when the ball goes left to Neymar, the Brazilian tries one stepover too many, and some excellent defending from Ivan Lopez snuffs out any danger.
12.29pm GMT
69 min: Few substitutions to update you on. Double change for Levante: Ghilas comes on for Navarro (striker for a defender) and Camarasa for Deyverson (midfielder for a striker). Simao will slot into central defence, very odd decision to take Deyverson off IMO. He’s been a nuisance all game.
Barcelona also make a change: Busquets on for Rakitic.
12.26pm GMT
66 min: Yellow card for Lerma, who brings Neymar down on edge of Levante’s box. This time it’s Messi that tries his luck, but it flies wide again. Barcelona’s shooting today has been woeful, their goal coming from a Navarro own goal of course.
12.25pm GMT
63 min: Verza has really impressed me today in the middle of the pitch. He’s got the better of Iniesta in most of the 50-50 challenges.
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12.22pm GMT
61 min: Penalty shout for Levante! Alba and Deyverson tussle for the ball inside the Barca box, and the ball does his Alba’s arm, but the referee deems the Brazilian to have fouled the left-back. The sold-out home crowd, don’t like that one little bit.
12.20pm GMT
59 min: Messi has swapped positions with Rakitic, with the Croatian now playing on the right, and the Ballon D’Or winner now playing more centrally. It’s already proving a smart move, with Messi probing on the edge of the box, forcing Tono to concede a corner. From Neymar’s delivery, Rakitic plants a bullet header towards goal at the near post, but Marino reacts well, tipping the ball over! Great save!
12.17pm GMT
57 min: Yellow card for Navarro, who simply holds on the Messi’s shirt inside the centre circle. He’s had seven red cards in his career, Navarro, and both Levante centre-backs are both on a caution now.
12.15pm GMT
56 min: Morales gets past both Dani Alves and Pique on Levante’s left and his fires a low cross in. Devyerson is there, but he can’t get a shot off and Mascherano rather desperately hoofs it clear.
12.13pm GMT
54 min: Messi has the ball in the net for the second time today! But again, it’s ruled offside (this time correctly). Iniesta had played an early pass through to Suarez, but the striker was too slow in feeding Messi, who had strayed into an offside position before one of his classic R2 Pro Evo finishes into the corner. No matter, the score stays at 1-0.
12.11pm GMT
52 min: Barcelona are playing at a very slow tempo. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the introduction of Busquets of Arda Turan soon.
12.08pm GMT
50 min: Levante have a plan, and it’s working: get Pique and Mascherano turned. Deyverson, Morales and Lerma have the pace to worry Barcelona’s centre backs. Verza launches another pass over the top, Pique lumps it out for a throw, and suddenly Levante are up the pitch to relieve the pressure.
12.05pm GMT
48 min: Messi has been invisible since about the 25 minute mark. He tries his luck from range, but the ball trickles into Marino’s gloves at about 5mph. Technically a shot on target though, just the second one that Barcelona have had in the entire match thus far.
12.04pm GMT
46 min: Levante start the second half as they finished the first: well. Rossi is given far too much room on the edge of the box, the Italian takes aim and Bravo is forced to tip the ball wide.
12.01pm GMT
Peeeeeep! Here we go again.
11.59am GMT
Cyclist Peter Sagan doing a Grease tribute with his wife and friends. Obviously.
11.49am GMT
After a breathless start, Barcelona are perhaps a little lucky to go in 1-0 up. Levante have played really well, hit the post, and missed a host of chances. It really hasn’t looked like a match involving 1st v 20th in La Liga.
7 - Levante is the third side with more total shots against FC Barcelona in the first halves in La Liga this season. Courage
11.48am GMT
44 min: Make no mistake, Rossi has still got it. The Italian ties Sergi Roberto in knots, admittedly on the edge of his own box. But the Levante fans love it! He’s settled well since his move back to Spain, scoring against Sevilla last week.
11.47am GMT
42 min: Neymar is hurled to the turf on the edge of the Levante box. Free kick in a very dangerous position. Surprisingly it’s Neymar, not Messi, over the ball but his shot harmlessly flies over the bar.
11.45am GMT
40 min: Dani Alves is having an absolute stinker at right back. He’s been run ragged by Morales all day. Aleix Vidal, Barcelona’s other right back will be watching on with interest from the bench. The former Sevilla defender has impressed since making his debut earlier this month. Look at this touch for Suarez’s goal against Valencia on Wednesday: woof!
11.42am GMT
37 min: Levante hit the post! Barcelona are playing such a high line and a brilliant pass from Simao releases Morales. Unlike Lerma a few moments earlier, Morales control is spot on and he closes in on goal, one-on-one with Bravo. Opening his body, Morales curls a shot beyond the Barcelona keeper, but the ball just clips the outside of the post, before bouncing clear.
11.39am GMT
34 min: Signs of frustration from Barcelona, who haven’t threatened Levante’s goal in about 10 minutes. After a bright start, Messi has been very quiet. Neymar pulls back Tono after he loses the ball. Free-kick.
11.37am GMT
30 min: What a chance for Lerma! Barcelona are all at see at the back, and are completely undone by a long ball and a flick on from Deyverson. Lerma latches on it and is completely in the clear … but he gets his feet in a tangle and drags his shot horribly wide. Levante manager Rubi is hopping round his technical area like a man desperate to go to the toilet – he’s furious at that miss. Levante should be level!
11.34am GMT
28 min: Handball from Pique on the edge of Barcelona’s box! Rossi flicked the ball beyond his former Manchester United team-mate, and that was a blatant foul. Yellow card, Pique will miss the next match against Celta Vigo. Verza stands over the set-piece … oooooo inches over. Bravo wasn’t getting there if that was a little lower.
11.31am GMT
25 min: Golden chance for Suarez! This all stems from Sergi Roberto, who wins the ball brilliantly from Verza. Messi takes over, played a long diagonal over Ivan Lopez to Neymar, who just about keeps it in. Suarez is lurking near post but he can only turn Neymar’s cross wide when it was easier to score! Suarez is level with Cristiano Ronaldo at the top of the Pichichi standings, remember.
11.28am GMT
24 min: Things are getting a little spicy! Now Deyverson leaves his mark on Alba, well after the ball had gone. Nasty, but no caution.
11.27am GMT
23 min: Yellow card for Feddal, who cynically pulls Suarez back when the Uruguayan had showed deft touch and awareness to flick the ball around the Levante centre back. No complaints.
11.25am GMT
Ah well. This isn’t Barcelona’s most beautiful goal, but they’ll be pleased to break Levante’s resistance. The home team have looked dangerous in the last 10 minutes, but they were powerless here. Alba overlaps around Iniesta, gets to the byline and fires a hard low cross across goal. Navarro is stationed at the near post, but the ball hits him in the hip, and deflects past Marino.
11.23am GMT
18 min: Great chance for Deyverson! Rossi twists and turns in the centre circle, spots Deyverson breaking beyond and chips an inch-perfect pass into his path. The Brazilian doesn’t have to break stride, but he’s forced a little wide by Mascherano and in the end the shot is weak.
11.21am GMT
15 min: Neymar cuts in from the left, flicks the ball behind the back of his legs to bamboozle Ivan Lopez and curls a shot towards the back post, but Marino flies to his left and tips it wide.
11.19am GMT
13 min: “Sergio Roberto takes another step into next-generation Barça by replacing the apparently irreplaceable Busquets,” emails Charles Antaki. “Luis Enrique has been trying him out in what seems to be every position bar goalkeeper, and even Barcelona could do with a utility player. It’s doubtful though that this game will prove much of a testing audition.”
Happy Birthday Sergi Roberto! He’s 24 today, and has been excellent for Barcelona this season. Busquets is first choice in central midfield, but he’s rested today and Sergi Roberto is a very capable deputy. He’s played in seven different positions this season, including at left back last month.
11.15am GMT
11 min: This is much better from Levante. They’ve somehow weathered the early storm and are now asserting themselves. Tono cuts inside Alves, gets to the byline and cuts th ball back to Deyverson on the six-yard box, but the Brazilian can only shank it wide!
11.12am GMT
9 min: And the corner is way too deep and goes out for a throw in without touching anyone.
11.11am GMT
8 min: Levante win a corner! A long hoof from Marino is mis-judged by Alba and Lerma gallops beyond the left-back, feeding Deyverson, who forced Pique to tackle it behind. Here come the cavalry! Feddal and Levante’s captain, Navarro, up from the back …
11.08am GMT
6 min: Tono hacks clear, Rakitic miscontrols the ball and Levante win a throw. Cheers go up around the Estadi Ciutat. And breath. Levante’s back four is now a back eight. Only Rossi and Deyverson are stationed away from Levante’s penalty box.
11.06am GMT
4 min: This is attack versus defence. I fear for Levante here.
11.05am GMT
2 min: Deary me, this could be a massacre. Barcelona could be 2-0 up already. This time Iniesta is the architect, dissecting the Levante defence with a first-time reverse pass to Messi, who takes a touch and puts the ball in the net. But he’s ruled offside! Replays show he was about two yards on!
11.03am GMT
1 min: So nearly a goal in the opening minute. Messi floats a perfectly weighted ball over the Levante back four and Suarez is onto it, but the bounce isn’t kind to the Uruguayan and he’s forced to hook the ball over his shoulder. Marino makes a hash of his punch, and Iniesta curls the rebound just over the bar. Close!
11.00am GMT
Peeeeeeeep! And we’re off.
11.00am GMT
The teams are out! Barcelona clad in their yellow away kit. Levante in their red and blue number. Glorious sunshine in Valencia. Let’s do this!
10.57am GMT
99 matches, 79 wins, five trophies. That just shy of a 80% win rate. Sir Alex Ferguson win percentage (Premier League) was just 65%....
Luis Enrique will be in charge for game 100 today - details of the other 99 right here - https://t.co/Hy9lugdBIg pic.twitter.com/v2YBQ5e2qH
10.55am GMT
You will note that hidden in Levante’s ranks is Giuseppe Rossi. The New Jersey-born striker has had a torrid time with injuries of late, and was granted a loan move from Fiorentina last month in order to get himself back on track. Patience is wearing a little thin for La Viola, who are still in a title race in Serie A.
For Levante, who have scored just 21 times in 22 league games this season, they need the 5ft8in Italian to hit the ground running. On his day, he is one of Europe’s best, just remember, he is capable of doing this …
10.25am GMT
Levante
LA ALINEACIÓN | Así saldremos al césped del Ciutat para medirnos al @FCBarcelona_es #LUDlive #LUDvFCB pic.twitter.com/xkgiIKLRQu
3.25am GMT
It has been a pretty torrid week for Gary Neville, but at least the Valencia manager has been spared the possibility of bumping into Barcelona again on his way out for a Sunday morning coffee – Levante’s Estadi Ciutat lies about two miles north of the Mestalla – GNev and co are far away in Seville readying themselves for their match against Real Betis later today.
Levante fans will have watched Barcelona’s 7-0 demolition of Valencia on Wednesday with both glee and dread: delight in witnessing their normally more illustrious neighbours being embarrassed to within an inch of their lives, but knowing that their team may well endure a similar fate this weekend.
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