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Barcelona have gone and done it again.
In what seems to be a disturbingly recurring trend, Barcelona have managed to squander yet another golden opportunity and now find themselves staring down the barrel of a second consecutive La Liga failure. For a significant period in the second half, Barcelona fielded the same defensive line that conceded eight goals to Bayern Munich last year. The travesty that followed was arguably inevitable.
With both Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid facing tricky tests this week, Ronald Koeman and his charges could have seized the initiative with a victory. Instead, the Catalan giants squeaked their way to a 3-3 draw against a Levante side that has lost four of its last five games.
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To their credit, Levante were exceptional in the second half and tormented the Catalans with their high press and pace. Ronald Koeman's questionable substitutions also played their part, however, and served as the ideal catalyst to a storm that left Barcelona's title bid in shambles.
Barcelona surprised Levante with their tempo at the start of the game but were unable to make the most of a flurry of chances in the opening exchanges. Levante set up on the counter and were able to grow into the game as Barcelona misplaced a few passes.
Lionel Messi was in no mood to let Levante seize the initiative, however, and stunned the home side with an excellent finish to give Barcelona the lead. The Catalans found a spring in their step after the half-hour mark and doubled their lead after some excellent work from Ousmane Dembele gave Pedri his third league goal of the season.
Barcelona left stunned by Levante's second-half heroics
Barcelona managed to put pressure on Levante's defensive lines in the second half but were unable to make the most of their chances. The home side is known for its character, however, and hit back with a goal before the hour-mark.
Barcelona seemed stunned into submission by Levante's goal and Jose Luis Morales took full toll of the situation with an exceptional goal to level the scales. The equaliser shocked Barcelona back into life and Ousmane Dembele came to the rescue only minutes later to restore the Catalans' lead.
The worst was yet to come, however, as Ronald Koeman's complacency dug Barcelona's grave at the Ciutat de Valencia. With less than ten minutes left in the game, Sergio Leon took advantage of Barcelona's hapless back-line and pulled off the heist of the season against a defence that has now proved time and again that it is unable to service the needs of a bonafide La Liga giant.
Levante Player Ratings
Aitor Fernandez - 6/10
Aitor Fernandez could do very little about Barcelona's three goals on the day and was unable to keep his clean sheet. The goalkeeper did have a few tense moments in the second half but managed to keep his nerve.
Ruben Vezo - 7/10
Ruben Vezo made a number of important blocks throughout the game and was Levante's unsung hero on the night. The centre-back managed to keep Antoine Griezmann at bay and had a positive outing.
Oscar Duarte - 5.5/10
Oscar Duarte was caught in a foot race with Ousmane Dembele for Barcelona's second goal and was no match for the Frenchman. The centre-back was replaced by Mickael Malsa in the second half.
Jorge Miramon - 6.5/10
Jorge Miramon took his time to settle into the game and was unable to trouble Barcelona in the first half. The left-back bagged an excellent assist for Levante's first goal after half-time and was eventually replaced by Coke in the second half.
Tono Garcia - 6.5/10
Tono had a torrid time against Barcelona in the first half and was caught out of position on a few occasions on the right flank. The left-back made amends in the second half and got the better of Sergino Dest to assist Levante's all-important third goal.
Rober Pier - 6/10
Rober Pier was visibly uncomfortable against the likes of Lionel Messi and Pedri but did hold his ground against Barcelona. The midfield enforcer filled in for his defensive counterparts in the second half as Levante looked for the winner.
Gonzalo Melero - 8/10
Gonzalo Melero played his heart out against Barcelona and troubled harried his opponents in the middle of the pitch. The midfielder began Levante's resurgence with an excellent header that stunned a fragile Barcelona side.
Jorge de Frutos - 6/10
Jorge de Frutos did not have much of an impact in the first half and was unable to see much of the ball. The winger improved after half-time but failed to create concrete chances for his teammates.
Enis Bardhi - 7/10
Enis Bardhi was one of the best Levante players on the pitch and troubled Barcelona with his exquisite technique. The midfielder made way for Dani Gomez in the second half after Levante found their equaliser.
Jose Luis Morales - 8/10
Jose Luis Morales proved his mettle as a big-game player and stunned Barcelona with his second goal. The striker was impressive throughout the game and was one of his team's best players.
Roger Marti - 5/10
Roger Marti was unable to end his goal drought against Barcelona and saw only one clear-cut chance come his way. The striker picked up an excellent assist for Morales' goal and was taken off for Sergio Leon after the half-hour mark.
Substitutes
Dani Gomez - 6/10
Dani Gomez was brought on in the second half to win the midfield battle for Levante. The substitute did trouble Barcelona on a few occasions but did not see much of the ball.
Mickael Malsa - 7/10
Mickael Malsa tipped the scales in Levante's favour in the second half and troubled both Pedri and Riqui Puig with his tenacity. The young midfielder was impressive on the ball and won possession on several occasions.
Sergio Leon - 8/10
Sergio Leon was tasked with only one responsibility upon his introduction and the striker carried out his mission to perfection. The former Real Madrid youth product produced an excellent finish in the second half and gifted his side a point against a stunned Barcelona outfit.
Coke - 6/10
Coke's calm demeanour served Levante well at the end of the game and allowed their defensive line both time and space with the ball. The right-back was a reliable presence on the flank and did not put a foot wrong during his time on the pitch.
Giorgi Kochorashvili - 6/10
Giorgi Kochorashvili was a late substitute and did not have enough time to make an impact on the game.
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Barcelona Player Ratings
Marc-Andre ter Stegen - 5/10
For all his talents and skills, Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has failed to meet expectations this season. The German goalkeeper could have done better with the third goal and seemed well below his best against Levante.
Gerard Pique - 3.5/10
Gerard Pique has had his moments with Barcelona this season but his experience seemed to desert him against Levante. The Catalan defender was slow to react on several occasions and was partly at fault for the home side's winner.
Clement Lenglet - 4/10
Clement Lenglet was only marginally better than his defensive counterpart and struggled to keep up with Levante's fluid movements. The Frenchman picked up an unnecessary yellow card in stoppage-time and endured a frustrating night.
Ronald Araujo - 7.5/10
Despite his short stay on the pitch, Ronald Araujo was Barcelona's best defender by a country mile and stepped up to win the ball on several occasions. The Uruguayan defender picked up a niggle, however, was taken off for Sergi Roberto at half-time.
Jordi Alba - 6/10
Jordi Alba was one of the better defenders for Barcelona on the night and kept Jorge Miramon quiet for most of the game. The left-back also pulled off a few good crosses and had a positive outing.
Ousmane Dembele - 8/10
Ousmane Dembele had his shaky moments as a right-back but proved his mettle with a blazing run that tore through Levante's defence. The Barcelona winger scored a brilliant goal in the second half and was one of his side's best players.
Sergio Busquets - 3/10
Sergio Busquets has been impressive in recent weeks but had one of the worst outings of his campaign against Levante. The Barcelona veteran was uncharacteristically sloppy with his passing and was virtually invisible against Levante's potent counter-attacks.
Frenkie de Jong - 6/10
Frenkie de Jong was impressive in the first half and created two golden opportunities for fellow Barcelona midfielder Pedri. The Dutch midfielder received a booking in the second half and will be unavailable against Celta Vigo this weekend.
Pedri - 6/10
Pedri was wasteful in the opening stages of the game but finally made amends with a goal that doubled Barcelona's lead. The teenager did misplace a few passes in the second half and was replaced by Oscar Mingueza as Barcelona looked to defend their lead.
Antoine Griezmann - 5/10
Antoine Griezmann did not have the best of days against Levante and had to drop deep to pick up the ball. The French striker did pitch in with Barcelona's high press but was unable to create chances in the final third.
Lionel Messi - 6.5/10
Lionel Messi's splendid volley broke the deadlock in the first half and saw Barcelona beaming with optimism. The Argentine was uncharacteristically quiet in the second half, however, as his team suffered a series of debacles.
Substitutes
Sergi Roberto - 2/10
While it might be harsh to pin all the blame on Sergi Roberto, Barcelona's utility man did himself no favours with a decidedly miserable performance. Roberto was involved in the first two Levante goals and his inability to step up against impressive opponents may well have cost Barcelona a league title.
Oscar Mingueza - 6/10
Oscar Mingueza brought some much-needed stability to Barcelona's defence and also ventured forward on a number of occasions as the Catalans looked for the winning goal.
Sergino Dest - 4/10
Sergino Dest was largely at fault for Levante's third goal and his untimely slip gave Tono the perfect opportunity to drill a low cross into the penalty area.
Martin Braithwaite - 5/10
Martin Braithwaite was an isolated figure during his time on the pitch and was barely able to touch the ball in the second half.
Riqui Puig - 6/10
Riqui Puig was the last of Ronald Koeman's desperate attempts to sway the game in his favour but with only nine minutes on the pitch, the talented youngster could not make much of an impact.
