Barça regains the league lead without breaking a sweat

BarcelonaAfter the storms at the Metropolitano and Montilivi, the sun shone again for Hansi Flick's Barça. Against a very weak opponent, the Blaugrana treated themselves to a comfortable afternoon of football to reclaim the top spot and soothe their wounds against a Levante side (3-0) that never posed a threat to Flick's men. Without playing a brilliant match, the visit from a team destined for relegation served the Catalan side well, allowing them to rediscover their form, add Marc Bernal and Joao Cancelo to the mix, score a handful of goals, and finally keep a clean sheet, which was sorely needed.

It all started with a very early scare, which surely caught the later spectators off guard, those who hadn't yet settled into their seats. Barely twenty seconds had passed when Carlos Álvarez almost capitalized on a lapse in concentration from Barça. The speedy attacking midfielder from the Valencia side entered the penalty area after a well-placed through ball from Iván Romero, but fortunately for Barcelona, ​​Eric Garcia – disrupting Álvarez's shot – and Joan Garcia – making the save – prevented further damage. After this initial scare, Flick's men quickly recovered against one of the weakest teams in La Liga.

Barcelona have found in Cancelo and Bernal, two unlikely protagonists, the engines to get their attacking play going. The Portuguese full-back, as fearless in defense as he is exuberant in attack, assisted Koundé after a couple of excellent dribbles. The Frenchman's shot, however, was poor and the ball sailed over the bar. It was an early warning that Cancelo was eager to make his mark. A couple of minutes later, the former City player reappeared on the attacking flank. This time, with a happy ending. A corner kick from Raphinha to Lamine Yamal sparked a move with a role reversal. The number 10 found Cancelo on the edge of the box, the Portuguese player danced past Oriol Rey with a brilliant cutback and set up Eric's run down the left. The ball reached Bernal from the Martorell center-back, who channeled his inner Lewandowski to calmly slot the ball into the back of the net.

One of Flick's Barça's tasks in the German's second season is to improve their finishing, and in less than five minutes, the Blaugrana managed to break the deadlock and start nursing their wounds in a rather quiet Camp Nou. The chances continued with a poor back pass from Matturro to Ryan that Raphinha almost capitalized on, but the Australian goalkeeper was able to redeem his teammate's recklessness by parrying a ball that Lewandowski ultimately squandered. With just 10 minutes played, it was enough to see that Levante would by no means pose a threat, beyond a few isolated scares, such as a good opportunity in the 15th minute that Joan Garcia dealt with well. A great move by Ivan Romero, who delivered a sublime pass into the heart of the area for Víctor García, was brilliantly dealt with by the goalkeeper from Sallent, who continues to rack up top-class saves.

There was no room for distraction, but Barça knew they had a comfortable afternoon ahead and eased off the pace a bit. This led to a few transitional minutes, where the game seemed to invite a leisurely stroll until Cancelo worked his magic again. First, with a cross that took a wicked deflection and struck the post, and then, delivering an assist from the edge of the box that allowed Frenkie de Jong to do what we've so rarely seen him do in a Barça shirt: score goals. A good cross from the Portuguese and a good finish from the Dutchman, who netted his first goal of the season in a match effectively over after half an hour.

The most anticipated return

Hansi Flick's gamble paid off handsomely: he gave playing time to less frequent starters – Bernal, Cancelo and Gerard Martín, who returned to the starting lineup at center back – and his team won with ease, regaining the lead. after Real Madrid's stumble at El Sadar And so, a quiet second half allowed Pedri to return to the pitch without being overly tested. The Canary Islander, cheered on by a crowd that loves him as much as the team needs him, played the final 25 minutes of a second half that was uneventful, save for a stunning goal from Fermín López in the dying moments.

Unlike a wasteful Lewandowski, the Andalusian midfielder once again demonstrated that he needs little to find the net. Cacao, from the edge of the box, hit the post and went in, a goal that Lamine Yamal celebrated by putting his hands to his head. Raphinha, who played the full 90 minutes, and Fermín himself could have extended the lead, but Ryan had his moment of glory with a magnificent double save that capped off an uneventful afternoon at the stadium.