Levante 5-4 Barcelona: 5 Talking Points

Levante ended Barcelona's long unbeaten run in a pulsating 5-4 victory. The Spanish champions were two games away from capping off a historic campaign, but the minnows sprung a surprise out of the blue.

With Lionel Messi dropped from the matchday squad altogether, manager Ernesto Valverde fielded a much-changed line-up and eventually paid for it.

The visitors were dominant at the start, but the Granotas feasted on some poor man-marking and acres of space left by Barcelona's defence. Levante lead 2-1 at the break and then increased the lead to 5-1 before the hour mark as Emmanuel Boateng scored hat-trick.

Barcelona mounted a late comeback as Coutinho bagged a treble of his own and Suarez further reduced the deficit from the spot. But alas, the gods weren't shining on the swashbuckling Catalans, who saw their dream of an unbeaten season crumble in spectacular fashion.

Here are some major talking points from the bedlam in Valencia:

---

#1 Barcelona's 'invincibles' dream crushed

The great 'invincible' dream: so near, yet so far

For 36 games, the Blaugrana successfully fended off challenges and challengers, and even in the time of crisis, somehow found a way to escape defeat. This particular attribute almost carried them to an unbeaten La Liga season - a feat never achieved in the Spanish top-flight since 1931/32. And with two games to go, Valverde's Barcelona looked all set to make history, before this weekend.

Except, Levante had other plans, who were touted to be run over by the mighty Catalans as the writing was on the wall. But what unfolded was truly unbelievable. They didn't just beat them for the first time ever in the league, but also chose the perfect moment to do it.

Barcelona paid for letting complacency get into their game. And the price was a bit too much - the dream of an 'invincible' season dusted; all the season-long efforts blown up in smoke.

Seldom has a defeat by one-goal margin felt this heart-breaking.

#2 Emmanuel Boateng gets a place in the history books

Boateng is the first player in a decade to score a league hat-trick against Barcelona

Barcelona's chief tormentor of the evening, Emmanuel Boateng, struck an astonishing hat-trick that was the catalyst behind the visitor's downfall. The 21-year-old bagged his first career treble, but this was also the first time an opposition player scored a hat-trick against Barcelona since 2008.

Diego Forlan was the last player in La Liga to bag a hat-trick against the Catalans, when he pulled off the feat in a similarly dramatic encounter that saw Villarreal draw 3-3 against them. Who would've thought an unassuming name from the lower lights of the league would match the feat someday?

Boateng made the most of some terrible defending. His first two goals was a result of the massive space left behind, as the Ghanian scampered into it like a gazelle in the savannah. He was then allowed to run towards the area completely unchallenged and unmarked down the right flank, and rounded off an incredible hat-trick with a nonchalant low-drive beyond a hapless Ter Stegan.

Take a bow, Boateng!

#3 Vermaelen and Mina may never be seen in a Barcelona shirt again

Mina turned in a performance to forget

With the title long sewn-up and another three points seemingly in the bag, Valverde opted to bench Gerard Pique, his only first-choice centre-back available. The other centre-back, Samuel Umtiti, was ruled out with a knock sustained in the Clasico. The Barcelona manager played a makeshift centre-back pairing of Yerry Mina and Thomas Vermaelen.

But little did the manager know that he was in fact, signing his own death warrant.

Vermaelen was completely out of sorts and Levante had a gala time pressing at the visitors' defence. The rash challenge on Boateng that earned him a yellow summed up his troublesome evening. He was then replaced after just 30 minutes by Pique.

But, Valverde let Mina stay on, and that proved to be a bigger mistake. The Colombian, to say the least, was a disaster. He was found out of position on numerous occasions. He was like a passenger in the Barca backline, not jumping into tackles or making any sort of interceptions when he was needed to.

Vermaelen and Mina lacked communication and Levante resultantly struck twice inside the opening half hour. After this horror show of a performance, Valverde would think twice to play those two together again.

#4 Levante's resurgence hits the zenith

Levante have been on an amazing run in the last two months

If you take a look through Levante's results since the start of March, they've been really impressive: just one defeat in the last 13 games, picking up 10 victories, including one each in the last 5, after the Barcelona game.

This upturn in form coincided with their relegation struggles, as the Valencian outfit climbed out of the drop zone and secured survival well before time. But after this result, it wouldn't be exaggerating to say the resurgence has hit the apotheosis. Levante showed tremendous courage in taking the game to their mighty rivals, and more importantly, clinically dispatching their chances too.

It isn't a common sight to see Barcelona part like the red sea. But the Granotas' attacking verve deserves every bit of credit. Boateng, Bardhi and Morales ran rings around them and skillfully carved them open.

No one has put five goals past Barcelona in the last 15 years. And nobody seemed to do so against this seemingly unrelenting side either. But Paco Lopez's Levante had other plans.

#5 Coutinho's looks a Barca player

Coutinho was perhaps the best player for Barcelona on the night

With talk of Barcelona's 43-match unbeaten run coming to a juddering halt, it's easy to forget that Philippe Coutinho scored a hat-trick too. The Brazilian quietly went about his duties and triggered a late comeback.

One of the few shining lights for the visitors, he put in his best shift in a Barcelona shirt, albeit in a losing cause. His first goal was reminiscent of his Liverpool days, briskly flouncing forward a few steps before lashing a howitzer from just outside the area. His second, was a testament to his brilliant positioning as he collected a loose ball inside the box and lifted it over Oier for his second.

For his third, Coutinho was once again at his best. He received a pass from Sergio Busquets right outside the final third and following a magical first touch, let rip another golazo into the top corner although it took a slight deflection on its way.

Coutinho stepped up to the plate in the absence of Messi and gave his side some hope. Even if that wasn't enough to keep his side from going down, he at least helped avoid an embarrassment at the hands of Levante. But at the same time, also demonstrated that he may have adjusted to life in Barcelona.