First Division - Day 23

Levante 0 - Barcelona 2

Levante: Diego Mariño; Iván López, David Navarro (Ghilas 69‘), Feddal, Toño; Verza (Cuero 77’), Simao, Jefferson Lerma; Deyverson (Camarasa 69‘), Rossi, Morales. 4-3-3.
Barcelona: Bravo; Dani Alves (Aleix Vidal 74‘), Piqué, Mascherano, Jordi Alba; Rakitic (Busquets 67‘), Sergi Roberto, Iniesta; Messi, Luis Suárez, Neymar. 4-3-3.

Goals:
0-1. 21. David Navarro (own goal). Deflected Jordi Alba cross into own net.
0-2. 92. Luis Suárez. Picked up Messi pass and steered shot past Mariño.

Yellow cards: Feddal 23’, Piqué 28’, David Navarro 57’, Dani Alves 63’, Jefferson Lerma 66’, Iván López 83’, Busquets 89’.

Barcelona stay top for another week after a 0-2 victory at Levante in this Sunday’s mid-day game. It was not an easy win though, and the locals put up a much better fight than their city neighbours Valencia, who had been thrashed 7-0 by Luis Enrique’s team just a few days ago. Messi had an early strike incorrectly ruled out for offside, and Neymar brought a good save out of Diego Mariño before the visitors took the lead with an element of good luck, David Navarro deflecting Jordi Alba’s cross past his own keeper. However for the rest of the first half Levante were on top, Verza going close with a free kick, Lerma shooting wide when free on goal, and Morales curling a shot against the upright. Bravo had to save from Rossi after the restart, and the result was in doubt until the second minute of injury time, when Luis Suárez picked up a pass from Messi and ran on to poke a shot past Mariño.