At a time when goals seem to be decisive in the fight to win the Ballon d’Or, Lamine Yamal is already there. The Rocafonda native led another Barça victory, the fifth in this League, with two new goals for his third consecutive double in the competition. The blaugrana genius wants it all and his sixth goal places him at the top of the scorers’ table. Lamine’s ambition defined a brilliant start to the match, but it became very uncomfortable at the end. What seemed like a peaceful day turned into a nightmare due to Levante’s push, which showed Barça what it means to suffer. Despite falling behind by three goals, they never gave up and two goals in the final stretch brought excitement to a match sealed by Adeyemi’s fourth goal in added time.
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Just a week later, Barça returned to the Turia city, but Levante was not Valencia, whom they easily defeated. Far from it. Hansi Flick’s team started as usual, commanding, pressing, and scoring, but ended the first half running backwards and experiencing a sensation almost unheard of this season. For a few minutes, the opponent also played.
Flick recovered his LaLiga starting eleven, the one that currently has the most credit for the German. Xavi Espart and Eric Garcia occupied the full-back positions, Gerard Martín accompanied Cubarsí, Rodri returned to the double pivot, Fermín played as an interior, and Gordon started from the left. Six changes compared to the European match barely altered the purpose. Pressure, dynamism, and concentration to dominate the opponent.
The first goal was the best expression of what Barça wants to be this year. It came on the second blaugrana possession, shortly after four minutes had passed, after Levante had barely managed to clear a ball. For one minute and 15 seconds, all ten outfield players touched the ball. Rodri broke a line with a drive, Fermín and Raphinha combined around the area, and the play ended with the least expected protagonist. Espart slipped between two opponents and shot. The ball touched a defender before ending up inside. A choral work finished by the surprise guest of this season’s start, who will not forget his match at the Ciutat de València. Again, a delight for the senses to see this Barça.
Key to the goal was Rodri, whose influence is beginning to transform Flick’s first season rock & roll into a symphony. Few footballers better fit the definition of field marshal. The midfielder was receptive to all his team’s needs, sensitive in construction, and relentless in recovery. If he had to pass, he passed. If he had to drive to create superiority, he advanced. An expert in solving delicate moments, he demanded the ball when Barça couldn’t find the way in Valencia.
Levante felt powerless early on. Fermín and Lamine Yamal were close to creating the second in a duel that ended with the winger shooting from almost no angle. The Rocafonda genius, an aesthetic prodigy in every action, was awake and shortly after found reward.
The second goal, before the twentieth minute, showed another classic register in Flick’s team. Because this team knows how to play short, but also how to run. Cubarsí found Fermín, who accelerated the play and set Raphinha running. The Brazilian left the goalkeeper behind and lifted his head to gift the goal to Lamine, who blasted the net. It was his fifth goal in the League.
From the positional play of the first goal to the vertigo of the second. Barça once again showed the wide range of resources it has added over time under Flick’s command.
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It seemed like another match doomed to follow the blaugrana script. But it was not so. Levante rebelled against its apparent fate and began to find cracks. Gerard Martín made an unforced error in the build-up that Ratkov failed to capitalize on. Flick immediately came off the bench. The German asked for calm for his center-back. Shortly after, another mess inside the area ended without consequences due to a prior offside, but Levante grew stronger and stronger.
The pitch, very dry, also did not help a Barça that needs the ball to travel fast. The game lost fluidity and Levante gained ground. For the first time this season, Barça felt that the match was no longer played exactly where they wanted. They had to run backwards several times and uncomfortably. A mistake by Pedri almost cost them a goal and Víctor García, appearing at the far post, sent a great chance wide.
These were the first minutes of the season in which an opponent managed to surpass the blaugrana team. A strange image. Also for Flick. The German again left his technical area and watched very seriously as the match had changed.
The start of the second half brought calm back to the coach. Lamine Yamal was fouled in the area and he himself scored the penalty that Raphinha gave him, aware of the race his good friend is immersed in.
Everything seemed resolved. Even Flick seemed to close the chapter by substituting Yamal earlier than usual. But excessive relaxation took its toll on the blaugranas. Barça dithered so much with the error that the home goal arrived. Xavi Espart and Christensen did not understand each other on a pass and Iván Romero took advantage to beat Joan Garcia in a one-on-one.
Levante saw an open crack and slipped in to make the bench even more nervous. Near the 90th minute, Brugué got past Bernal and Cubarsí and after a rebound scored the second in a brilliant play. When the blaugrana team felt the most pressure, Adeyemi ended the suffering with the sentence on the counterattack.
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