Barcelona back top of La Liga with Levante win

2026-02-23 - 03:43

Barcelona cruised to a 3-0 victory over Levante to reclaim pole position in La Liga on Sunday. After Real Madrid fell to a 2-1 defeat at Osasuna on Saturday, Hansi Flick’s side moved a point clear of their bitter rivals with a comfortable victory at Camp Nou against the team in 19th. Marc Bernal and Frenkie de Jong gave Barca a commanding first-half lead and Fermin Lopez wrapped up the win with a sensational drive late on. Barcelona were glad to get back to winning ways after a 4-0 thrashing by Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg last week and then a 2-1 defeat by Girona on Monday in La Liga. “It was a really bad moment for us but in the end today we gave a good response,” Flick told reporters. “It’s important now to be on top of the table but in the end there’s a long way to go.” Despite Flick’s calls for improvement in defence, Barca were as open as ever, although Levante’s poor finishing meant they could not capitalise. Bernal sent Barca ahead after good work by Joao Cancelo, who impressed on a rare start after his arrival on loan in January, and Eric Garcia. It was Bernal’s second goal since returning from a long-term knee injury, which kept the 18-year-old out of action for over a year. “I thought of my father (in my celebration) and my physio — he told me I would score and he has helped me a lot in this process,” Bernal told Movistar. Veteran Polish forward Robert Lewandowski could have doubled Barca’s advantage but fired into the ground and over the bar when well placed. Cancelo hit