Barcelona displayed their well-known resilience with a dramatic late comeback, overturning a two-goal deficit to beat levante/">Levante 3–2 at the Estadi Ciutat de València during Saturday’s Spanish La Liga game.
Goals from Pedri and Ferran Torres, along with a stoppage-time own goal from Levante defender Unai Elgezabal, ensured the reigning champions maintained their perfect start to the new La Liga season.
The evening began with an unexpected script as Levante, back in the top flight after three years, struck first.
In the 15th minute, Iván Romero punished Barcelona’s sloppiness in midfield, breaking free to finish past Joan Garcia and send the home crowd into raptures.
The underdogs doubled their lead on the stroke of halftime when José Luis Morales converted a penalty awarded after VAR deemed Álex Balde had handled inside the area. The call left Barcelona players furious.
Barcelona had dominated the ball with more than 80% possession in the first half but created very little. They trudged into the break two goals down, desperate for inspiration.
Barcelona’s Revival
Hansi Flick’s halftime team talk produced just that. Three minutes into the restart, Pedri unleashed a spectacular strike from distance that flew into the top corner.
The goal sparked life into the Catalans. Moments later, Ferran Torres drew them level, connecting sweetly with Raphinha’s whipped cross to silence the Levante faithful.
The game seemed destined for a draw until the seventh minute of stoppage time.
Sixteen-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal’s clever chipped cross caused panic in the Levante defense. Under pressure, Elgezabal misjudged his header and steered the ball past his own goalkeeper Andrés Fernández, completing Barcelona’s turnaround in cruel fashion for the hosts.
Reactions After the Match
Flick praised his side’s fightback. “This team showed incredible spirit. We didn’t play well in the first half, but they never stopped believing.”
Pedri, who was named man of the match, admitted the penalty decision left him baffled. “Honestly, I don’t understand the handball rule anymore. For me, it wasn’t a penalty. But in the end, the most important thing is we kept pushing and got the win.”
The victory extended Barcelona’s unbeaten run against Levante to five games. It also reaffirmed their early-season title credentials after last weekend’s 3–0 win over Mallorca.
Levante, meanwhile, were left disappointed but encouraged by their ability to compete with Spain’s champions. “We deserved something from this game,” said goalscorer Romero. “To lose like this, in stoppage time, hurts a lot.”
Barcelona now turn their attention to their next La Liga outing against Celta Vigo, while Levante will try to regroup when they host Real Betis.
Can Levante use this heartbreak as fuel for their survival fight, or will it break their spirit early in the campaign?Rate, Like 👍, Comment💬, share this article and join us on our social media handles. You can also Submit your own story to get featured and earn rewards!
