Three talking points from Barcelona 3-0 Levante as Hansi Flick’s side return to top of La Liga table

Barcelona restored order at the Estadi Olímpic with a commanding 3-0 victory over Levante, a result that lifts Hansi Flick’s team back to the summit of La Liga and extends their flawless home record to 12 wins from 12 this season. After back-to-back setbacks at Atlético Madrid and Girona, the Catalans needed a statement performance, and Levante—who had conceded a league-worst 41 goals and lost every one of their 16 previous top-flight visits to Barcelona—provided obliging opposition.

The win was never in doubt once the hosts found their rhythm, yet the match still offered plenty for the coaching staff to digest. Here are three key takeaways from Sunday’s stroll.

1. João Cancelo offers width and menace Deployed as an adventurous right-footed left wing-back, the Portuguese veteran was a persistent outlet, pinning Levante’s deep back line and creating the space that led to Frenkie de Jong’s opener. Cancelo’s willingness to repeat sprints and his crisp delivery, even on a routine assist, underlined his value on an afternoon when positional rotations were frequent. At 31, and with his contract expiring in the summer, the jury remains out on whether he is a long-term solution, but Sunday’s display showed he can still tilt a match Barcelona’s way.

2. Marc Bernal’s minutes management pays dividends Returning from a serious injury, the 17-year-old midfielder was again introduced gradually, this time completing 67 composed minutes in the heart of the pitch. The club’s medical and performance staff have deliberately rationed his game time, and the patience is evident: Bernal rarely looked rushed, circulating possession and shielding the back four with the poise more readily associated with Sergio Busquets. His understated authority allowed Barcelona to control tempo and, crucially, avoid the counter-attacks that have punished them recently.

3. A dash of ruthlessness arrives late Facing a Levante side content to sit in a low block, Barcelona monopolised possession but were guilty of over-elaboration until Fermín López’s spectacular third, a 25-metre drive that flew into the top corner. Prior to that strike, the hosts had created enough chances to be out of sight, yet a combination of wayward finishing and delayed decision-making kept the scoreline respectable for the visitors. Fermín’s intervention not only sealed the points but also served as a reminder that the squad still possesses players capable of the extraordinary when patience alone is insufficient.

The victory, Barcelona’s 12th in as many home league fixtures, moves them back above Real Madrid on goal difference and re-establishes the momentum that had wavered in recent weeks. With the Camp Nou renovation still ongoing, the team’s perfect record at the Estadi Olímpic has become a critical pillar of their title challenge, and Flick will hope the confidence gleaned from dispatching Levante can be carried into the season-defining fixtures that lie ahead.