Lamine Yamal struck twice to help Barcelona to an exciting 4-2 win at Levante on Sunday in La Liga, extending the Catalans’ perfect start to the season.
Hansi Flick’s side reestablished their three-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the table, after Los Blancos beat Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.
Xavi Espart opened the scoring for the champions in Valencia with Yamal netting the second and then scoring a penalty early in the second half.
Barca may have a 100 per cent record so far from their five games, but their defensive frailties were exposed as Ivan Romero and Roger Brugue pulled Levante back into the game in the final stages.
Substitute Karim Adeyemi made the game safe for Barca in stoppage time with a stunning solo goal, breaking through at pace and beating Mathew Ryan.
“It was not our best game, of course. We had a great start. In the second half we struggled a little bit,” Flick told reporters.
“We have to fight to improve. It’s normal; we have situations we have to make better, much better. We’ll tell the team and go on to the next match, but with the result I’m happy.”
Barcelona defender Eric Garcia said that the team relaxed a bit in the second half and it nearly cost them.
“It was a hard game; we did make it harder for ourselves than it needed to be,” Garcia told Movistar.
“But it has to teach us something — if you give any opponent a bit of breathing room, they get on top of you.”
The Catalans came flying out of the blocks at the Ciutat de Valencia stadium, where Levante were unbeaten in eight matches prior.
The visitors took the lead in the fifth minute, with Levante barely touching the ball before Barca defender Espart found the net.
Barca cut through the middle of Levante’s team too easily and the 19-year-old finished from the edge of the box with the help of a slight deflection.
It was Espart’s first goal for the club, with the young midfielder brought into the first team this season by Flick and deployed at left-back.
Levante responded with a spell of concerted pressure, and Barca were fortunate to maintain their advantage.
Petar Ratkov could not get a proper shot away when well placed, and Barca goalkeeper Joan Garcia saved well from Brugue.
Levante soon came to regret those spurned chances when Raphinha created Barca’s second for teenage star Yamal.
The Brazilian rounded goalkeeper Ryan and squared for Yamal to smash into the empty net in the 19th minute.
Between the afternoon summer heat and some heavy tackles, the pace of the game slowed.
Yamal claimed his second goal soon after the restart, winning and then converting a penalty.
The Spain winger was hacked down by Aissa Mandi and powered the resulting spot kick past Ryan for his seventh goal in four games across all competitions.
Levante could have pulled one back, but Andreas Christensen cleared Romero’s bobbling shot off the line.
The striker did get on the scoresheet when Espart gave the ball away with a loose pass towards Christensen, and Romero nipped in to strike.
Levante fans roared when Brugue capitalised on a Marc Bernal error, with Garcia saving his first shot but the striker able to nudge home the rebound.
However, former Borussia Dortmund winger Adeyemi ended the hosts’ dreams of a point with a dynamic burst through the defence and then a cool finish to match.
Barcelona host promoted side Racing Santander on Wednesday, while Levante welcome Athletic Bilbao.
Earlier on Sunday, Celta Vigo were held to a 1-1 home draw by Malaga. Later, Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid visit Real Sociedad, and Getafe face Deportivo La Coruna.
AFP
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