Barcelona faced Levante in their second La Liga match of the season. From the start, it was clear that this would not be easy. The Estadio Ciudad de Valencia has always been a tough venue, and it proved the same once again.
The pitch conditions favoured the hosts. Levante made full use of the situation and executed their plan well. They frustrated Hansi Flick’s men and went into half-time with a 2-0 lead.
Flick’s decision to start with four attackers failed. The German coach acted quickly. At half-time, he brought on Dani Olmo and Gavi. The change worked right away and gave Barcelona new life.
Barcelona then staged another comeback under Flick. They overturned the deficit and won 3-2. The three points lifted the team and kept their strong start alive.
One major absence was Inigo Martinez. Without his leadership, Barcelona’s defence looked unsettled. The high line fell apart on several occasions. Eric, Balde, and Araujo all failed to step up at the right time. This gave Levante plenty of counter-attacking chances.
Cubarsi looked strong with his positioning but weak in duels. The young defender struggled against the physical Levante forwards and looked too soft in challenges. Flick must fix this issue soon. If not, it could cause big problems in tougher matches.
On the other side of the pitch, Pedri stole the show. The midfielder controlled the game almost single-handedly. He dictated the tempo, dribbled past defenders, and created chances with quick touches.
He displayed a brilliant passing range and always found the right teammate. At 2-0 down, he gave Barcelona hope with a stunning strike from distance.
Pedri looks more complete with every game. Many now consider him one of the best midfielders in the world. His performances make him Barcelona’s best signing of the last decade. If he continues this form, his future could be even brighter.
In the end, Barca scored 3 goals as Ferran Torres struck in the 52nd minute, and Levante’s Elgezabal conceded a goal during the extra time.