Barcelona pounced on Real Madrid’s slip to surge back to the top of La Liga, brushing aside Levante 3-0 on Sunday after their rivals fell 2-1 at Osasuna.
Marc Bernal, Frenkie de Jong and Fermin Lopez each scored as Barcelona snapped a two-game skid and moved one point clear of Madrid, who had strung together eight straight league wins before Saturday’s setback.
After consecutive defeats to Girona in the league and Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semifinals, the response was sharp and decisive.
“We know it isn’t easy to start winning again after two defeats, but the team gave a very good response,” coach Hansi Flick said.
Joao Cancelo echoed that sentiment. “It was important to win and earn three points again. Soccer gives you these opportunities to rebound and that’s what we did today, playing well again after two bad games.”
Barcelona, which had managed just one clean sheet in its previous six matches in all competitions, set the tone early at Camp Nou. Eighteen-year-old Bernal scored from close range four minutes in, building on his breakthrough goal against Mallorca two rounds ago and putting the hosts firmly in control.
“They had an early chance, but my goal helped us settle and gain some confidence,” Bernal said.
De Jong added to the lead from inside the area in the 32nd minute, and Lopez sealed the victory with a long-range shot in the 81st, the ball ricocheting off the post before going into the net.
Levante goalkeeper Mathew Ryan kept Barcelona from adding a fourth with a pair of outstanding saves in the final minutes, first off a header by Raphinha and then off a point-blank strike from Lopez on the rebound.
It was the fourth straight defeat for Levante, which is in 19th place. It is one point ahead of last-place Oviedo, which has a game in hand.
Levante has only one victory in its last eight matches.
Pedri entered in the 66th minute to return to action nearly a month after an injury layoff.
Lamine Yamal celebrated his 100th win with Barcelona, becoming the youngest player to reach that mark in official matches for the club.
The 18-year-old Yamal’s 139 matches include 16 draws and 23 defeats.
Flick downplayed Yamal’s apparent disappointment at being replaced in the final minutes.
Third-place Villarreal, Barcelona’s next league opponent, restored a three-point gap to fourth-place Atletico Madrid by coming from behind to beat Valencia 2-1 at home. Atletico beat seventh-place Espanyol 4-2 at home on Saturday.
Sixth-place Celta Vigo defeated relegation-threatened Mallorca 2-0 at home, with veteran forward Iago Aspas scoring in the 85th and 90th minutes. Celta had been winless in four straight league matches. Mallorca has lost six of its last eight games.
Sevilla won 1-0 at 10-man Getafe for its second victory in its last 10 matches in all competitions.
Djibril Sow scored the 64th-minute winner for the visitors. Getafe played a man down from the 26th minute after a straight red card for Djene Dakonam.
The result left Sevilla in 11th place, immediately above Getafe.
