Levante 1 - Barcelona 4

Levante: Storari; Descarga, Alvaro, Bruno Cirillo, David; Miguel Angel, Berson (Viqueira 52'); Juanma (Ettien 52'), Riga, Savio (Geijo 69'); Riganó. 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Oleguer, Thuram, Milito (Puyol 46'), Abidal (Sylvinho 63'); Xavi, Touré Yayá, Deco; Messi (Giovani 52'), Henry, Iniesta. 4-3-3.

Team changes: Levante: Descarga, Alvaro, David, Juanma, Riga, Savio, Riganó for Manolo, José Serrano, Rubiales, Ettien, Pedro León, Courtois, Geijo / Barça: Oleguer, Thuram for Zambrotta, Márquez.

Goals:
0-1. 17. Henry. Following up after Storari pushed out shot from Messi.
0-2. 24. Henry..Ran on to Messi pass to steer shot wide of keeper.
0-3. 49. Henry. Picked up deflected Deco pass and struck angled shot past Storari.
0-4. 51. Messi. Collected long pass and rounded defender to score.
1-4. 72. Viqueiro (penalty). After Puyol pushed Geijo from behind in area.

Barcelona moved to the top of the table pending Sunday's games after hammering bottom club Levante 1-4. Frank Rijkaard's side dominated throughout, with Henry getting his first La Liga goal after Storari could only push out a shot from Messi, and Messi having a goal ruled out for a previous foul before setting up Henry for his second of the night.

Messi went close a couple of times and Henry brought a good save out of Storari before the break, and just three minutes after the restart Henry picked up a deflected Deco pass to complete his hat-trick. Two minutes later Messi himself made it four after picking up a long ball out of midfield and rounding Cirillo before shooting wide of the keeper, and the young Argentinian was applauded off the field by the Levante fans when Rijkaard substituted him a minute later.

With one eye on Tuesday's Champions League game, Rijkaard dropped the pace, and the locals took advantage to at least salvage something. Riganó hit the post, and a couple of minutes later half time substitute Puyol (making his first appearance since picking up a serious knee injury in the summer) gave away a penalty on Geijo which Viqueira converted. Barça ended with ten men after Touré limped off near the end, but by then it had been all over for a long time.