September 11, 2026, 6:47 AM
Barcelona took full advantage of Real Madrid’s surprise defeat at Osasuna to return to the top of La Liga with a comfortable 3–0 victory over relegation-threatened Levante at the Spotify Camp Nou. Marc Bernal, Frenkie de Jong and Fermín López scored as Hansi Flick’s side ended a two-match losing run and moved one point clear of their title rivals.
Madrid had opened the door for Barcelona when they lost 2–1 at Osasuna on Saturday, ending an eight-match winning sequence in the league. Barcelona responded immediately, taking control from the opening minutes and securing a result that lifted them to 61 points from 25 matches, with Madrid on 60.
Bernal put the champions ahead in the fourth minute, finishing from close range after Eric García’s cross created an opening in the Levante area. The early goal settled Barcelona and ensured the visitors were forced to abandon their cautious approach sooner than they would have liked.
De Jong doubled the lead in the 32nd minute, arriving in the area to turn home João Cancelo’s floated cross. It was the Dutch midfielder’s first goal in more than 13 months and gave Barcelona a commanding advantage before half-time.
Fermín added a superb third in the 81st minute, drilling a long-range effort off the post and into the net after Lamine Yamal found him following a Barcelona corner. The goal was Fermín’s 11th of the season and capped a composed display from the home side.
Yamal did not score but reached another personal milestone, recording his 100th victory for Barcelona in official competition. At 18, he became the youngest player in the club’s history to achieve the mark, doing so in his 139th appearance.
Barcelona also maintained a remarkable home record against Levante, winning all 18 of their meetings at the Camp Nou. The clean sheet completed an authoritative response after consecutive defeats to Atlético Madrid and Girona had disrupted the champions’ rhythm.
Levante’s fourth successive defeat left them 19th, one point above bottom side Oviedo, who had a game in hand. Barcelona, meanwhile, restored their position at the summit and regained momentum in a title race that remains tightly balanced.
