Three takeaways from Barcelona 3-0 Levante | La Liga MD25

Barcelona halted a two-match slide and reclaimed sole possession of the La Liga summit on Sunday night, easing past Levante 3-0 at Spotify Camp Nou in a result that did as much for the table as it did for the dressing-room mood. The victory, built on three midfield strikes, lifted Hansi Flick’s side to 61 points from 25 fixtures—one clear of Real Madrid, who had briefly taken the lead after Saturday’s shock loss to Osasuna.

1. Midfielders take centre stage While the attacking trident of Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha started together, none found the scoresheet. Instead, the engine room provided every goal. Marc Bernal opened the account inside the opening minutes, timing his run to convert Eric Garcia’s low cross for his second of the campaign. Captain Frenkie de Jong doubled the advantage late in the first half, arriving late to steer Joao Cancelo’s inviting delivery beyond Matthew Ryan. The rout was sealed nine minutes from time when Fermin Lopez unleashed a thunderous left-footed drive from distance that kissed the frame of the goal before nestling in. All three finishes underlined Barcelona’s capacity to threaten from multiple areas rather than relying solely on the forward line.

2. Joao Cancelo re-announces himself The Portuguese full-back arrived in January yet had struggled to impose himself in his first five appearances. Against Levante he looked reborn, tormenting the visitors with relentless overlaps and a stream of venomous crosses. Cancelo recorded 105 touches, completed 91 percent of his passes, supplied three key passes and created two big chances—one of which became de Jong’s goal. He struck the woodwork himself and was unfortunate not to add an assist or two more. Defensively he contributed five actions and won four duels, evidence of a rounded display that could push Alejandro Balde further down the pecking order.

3. League leadership restored Barcelona’s mini-crisis—back-to-back defeats that handed Madrid a two-point edge—lasted just a week. The comprehensive win over Levante, coupled with Madrid’s stumble at Osasuna, flips the pressure back onto the Bernabeu side. For a squad that arrived at Camp Nou enveloped in gloom, returning to the summit offers timely momentum ahead of a pivotal run that includes a Copa del Rey remontada attempt against Atletico Madrid.

The performance was dominant if not entirely clinical—Barcelona could have doubled the margin with sharper finishing—but the clean sheet and three-goal cushion provided the reset Flick demanded. With the midfield firing and Cancelo rediscovering top gear, the Catalans head into the season’s decisive stretch back on top and buoyed by belief.