Barcelona take advantage of Real Madrid slip, return to the top of La Liga | OneFootball

Barcelona take advantage of Real Madrid slip, return to the top of La Liga | OneFootball

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·22 February 2026

Barcelona take advantage of Real Madrid slip, return to the top of La Liga

Article image:Barcelona take advantage of Real Madrid slip, return to the top of La Liga

Barcelona thrashed Levante 3-0 in the 24th matchday of La Liga 2025/2026. Marc Bernal, Frenkie de Jong, and Fermín López were the scorers of the victory.

The team led by Hansi Flick had no major scares and secured another win at Camp Nou, allowing them to once again be the sole leader of the championship.


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The Culé team deserved a bigger difference on the scoreboard but left a bitter taste with the defensive errors they had in the first half.

Meanwhile, Luís Castro's side did not capitalize on the clear opportunities they had and paid dearly for it.

Fast-paced first half and advantage for Barcelona

The match at Camp Nou started with a bang, and there was practically no time for the spectators to settle in.

In just 20 seconds, Levante had a very clear chance to open the scoring against a Culé defense that hadn't settled, but Carlos Álvarez shot straight at Joan García.

This was a warning for the home team, which would have several more defensive lapses during the match but managed to gain an early advantage.

Bernal reached a scoring position after a great pass from Eric García and made it 1-0 at four minutes.

Despite the result, Barcelona's backline continued making mistakes and was saved by Levante's poor finishing, as well as interventions from the Culé goalkeeper.

Relief for the home team came at 32 minutes when Joao Cancelo, having an outstanding match, assisted Frenkie de Jong for the 2-0 lead going into halftime.

The Dutchman hadn't scored in the league since January 26, 2025, against Valencia, breaking a streak of over a year without goals in the local championship.

Total dominance by Barcelona and a great goal by Fermín

The second half was a complete monologue by Barcelona, but they couldn't reflect it in the scoreline.

As the minutes passed, they continued to strengthen their dominance and only at 80 minutes were they able to break Levante's resistance.

Fermín, positioned on the right, cut inside from outside the area and unleashed an unstoppable left-footed shot to make it a definitive 3-0.

The difference should have been greater, but the constant finishing errors by the Culé forwards meant the score wasn't more lopsided.

In the next matchday, Barcelona will host the surprising Villarreal, and Levante will be at home against Alavés, in a crucial duel for relegation.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

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