Barcelona vs. Levante: Preview, Predictions and Lineups

Barcelona return to Camp Nou on Sunday desperate to halt a two-match slide that has dented both their Copa del Rey hopes and their La Liga title ambitions. Back-to-back defeats—first to Atlético Madrid in the cup and then a contentious 2–1 loss at Girona—have left Hansi Flick’s side trailing Real Madrid in the standings and in urgent need of a statement victory.

The fixture list offers a timely reprieve. Levante, entrenched in the relegation fight and winless in recent weeks, travel to Catalonia with injury concerns of their own and a leaky back line that Barça will believe they can exploit. When the sides met in August, Barcelona required a stoppage-time own goal from Unai Elgezelbal to escape with a 3–2 win; Flick will demand a far more convincing display this time around.

Team news is trending positive for the hosts. Pedri and Marcus Rashford have re-joined first-team training after injury lay-offs and could be named in the squad, though neither is expected to start. Gavi continues his rehabilitation and remains unlikely to appear before March, while Andreas Christensen is ruled out with a partial ACL tear. At left back, Alejandro Balde is set for an immediate recall, and the coach must decide between Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres to lead the line.

Barcelona’s projected XI (4-3-3): García; Koundé, Cubarsí, García, Balde; López, De Jong, Olmo; Yamal, Lewandowski, Raphinha.

Levante arrive without midfield enforcer Kervin Arriaga, who begins a three-match ban after his red card against Valencia. Club captain Pablo Martínez and forward Roger Brugué are injured, while Elgezelbal, whose own goal proved decisive in the reverse fixture, is a major doubt. All eyes will be on 19-year-old striker Etta Eyong, already scouted by Barcelona and tasked with leading the line against the league’s most high-profile defence.

Levante’s projected XI (4-2-3-1): Ryan; Toljan, De la Fuente, Moreno, Sánchez; Olasagasti, Raghouber; Tunde, Álvarez, Losada; Eyong.

With Raphinha back in form and a week to regroup, anything less than a comprehensive victory will be viewed as failure. Levante’s ability to find the net against lower-table opposition suggests the hosts may surrender a goal, yet their firepower should ensure the result is never in doubt. Expect Barcelona to dominate possession, press relentlessly, and re-ignite their title charge with a morale-boosting triumph.