Barcelona 5 - Levante 1

Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Zambrotta, Puyol, Milito (Thuram 66'),Sylvinho; Xavi, Toure Yaya, Iniesta; Messi (Giovani 80'),Eto'o, Ronaldinho (Bojan 73'). 4-3-3.
Levante: Kujovic; Descarga, Alvaro, José Serrano, David; Berson (Javi Fuego 22'), Miguel Angel (Pedro León 66'); Juanma, Riga, Courtois; Geijo (Saúl 80'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Barça: Zambrotta, Sylvinho, Toure Yaya, Iniesta, Eto'o, Ronaldinho for Márquez, Abidal, Edmilson, Deco, Henry, Giovani / Levante: Descarga for Manolo Gaspar.

Goals:
1-0. 13. Xavi. Latched on to loose ball on edge of area and fire shot past Kujovic.
1-1. 40. Riga (penalty). After Zambrotta cut out Riga's pass with his hand in area.
2-1. 44. Messi. Picked up return pass from Xavi and drilled shot inside near post.
3-1. 56. Eto'o. Collected pass from Messi and rounded Kujovic to score.
4-1. 62. Eto'o. Turned ball into empty net after Messi squared across from right.
5-1. 87. Eto'o. Half-hit shot from Bojan's cross which rolled past keeper.

Barcelona beat bottom club Levante 5-1 on Sunday evening, with Eto'o getting a hat-trick in the second half. Although Henry was rested, Frank Rijkaard started with his first choice trio from last season up front. And Eto'o got the ball in the net early on only for it to be ruled out as Iniesta was in an offside position. Soon afterwards though Xavi latched on to a loose ball on the edge of the area to open the scoring, and Ronaldinho fired an easy chance over the top from Eto'o's cross a few minutes later.

Levante were not overawed however, and Juanma hit the inside of the post before his side were awarded a penalty after Zambrotta handled in the area, Riga stepping up to convert the spot kick. Before the half time whistle though Messi restored the lead, picking up a return back-heel pass from Xavi before beating Kujovic inside the near post.

After the break though it was the Eto'o show, Don Samuel going close twice before picking up Messi's clever pass and rounding Kujovic to score. Six minutes later Toure sent Messi away down the right for him to set up the Camerooni striker for his second, and with three minutes to go he got his third with a miss-hit shot from Bojan's pass. Madrid's defeat later in the evening left everything wide open, and the Blaugrana are now only two points behind their eternal rivals.