Comeback win keeps Barcelona in second place ahead of Sevilla
It was not a vintage Barcelona performance; far from it. But the Catalan club mustered enough to come back against Levante and earn a 3-2 win.
Levante were by far the better side not only in the first half but the opening minutes of the second half as well. The home team was finally able to break the deadlock thanks to a penalty. Jose Luis Morales stepped up to take the penalty and give them the lead.
After being all but invisible, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang headed in a superb cross from Ousmane Dembele to tie the game.
Feeling the tide turning, Xavi Hernandez took out Nico Gonzalez and Frenkie de Jong for Pedri and Gavi. His substitutions paid off only four minutes later as Pedri scored off a pass from Gavi following some fancy footwork by the latter. In a matter of minutes, Barcelona had turned the game around.
All of Xavi’s substitutions ended up making a difference in the final outcome. Though not all were positive.
Carrying a knock from earlier in the game, Dani Alves was replaced by Clement Lenglet. It wouldn’t take long for the Frenchman to make his presence felt as a clumsy challenge led to Levante’s third penalty of the game. Having missed their second, they didn’t miss this time, tying the game at 2-2.
Now needing a goal to win, Luuk de Jong was subbed on in the 84th minute. Five minutes of stoppage time was given and it looked like Barcelona was going to have to settle for the draw.
With two minutes out of the five already gone, Jordi Alba dashed forward. Luuk De Jong created some space just as Alba crossed the ball, sending a perfectly weighted pass onto the head of the oncoming Dutchman who powered it past the Levante keeper to give Barcelona the lead and, ultimately, the win.
LUUK DE JONG MAKES IT 3-2 AT THE DEATH FOR BARCA!! pic.twitter.com/PhbjxDogqv
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 10, 2022
"“Luuk is a great option,” Xavi added of the super sub. “I would not say he’s playing a secondary role. I am happy [for him] because he’s an example for everyone, how he trains, his professionalism … That’s why we have these types of players.Source: ESPN"
De Jong’s timing could not have been better as it was his first game back after being out with Covid-19. Despite the angst his signing caused, he’s been very useful under Xavi, popping up at the right moments to either deliver a win or tie the game.
"“Scoring goals is amazing, but doing it at the death to win a game, which I’ve done a few times, is always special. They’re not normal feelings,” De Jong said. “I am happy for the team. When they need me, I am here. I have to wait for my opportunities.”Source: Sport"
Barça’s hangover, so to speak, from the draw against Eintracht Frankfurt continued against Levante. However, they never hung their heads and maintained belief they could win the game even after the equalizer.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s save of Levante’s second penalty was a significant momentum shift as they could have been down by two.
Since Xavi’s arrival, there has been a switch in mentality where they no longer go into panic mode whenever the slightest thing goes wrong. Further proof is they became the first club to win a game in which they had three penalty calls go against them.
Barça are the first team in the entire history of La Liga to win a game in which three penalties were awarded to the opponent. [@2010MisterChip] pic.twitter.com/x6ZzwNvyYc
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) April 11, 2022
The win keeps Barcelona’s slim hopes of winning the league alive. They are 12 points behind Real Madrid but with a game in hand.
Barcelona hope they can channel that fighting spirit midweek when they take on Eintracht Frankfurt at home for a spot in the Europa League semifinals.