Barcelona goes top with win over Mat Ryan's Levante
Barcelona reclaimed top spot in LaLiga with a routine 3-0 victory over struggling Levante at Camp Nou on Monday.
First-half goals from Marc Bernal and Frenkie De Jong and another after the break from Fermin Lopez helped Hansi Flick's side cruise to three points and leapfrog Real Madrid after its surprise defeat at Osasuna a day earlier.
Carlos Alvarez had already shot straight at Barca goalkeeper Joan Garcia and Joules Kounde wastefully fired over on the side-foot by the time Bernal prodded in from Eric Garcia's left-wing centre in the fourth minute.
Socceroos international Mat Ryan then denied Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski bounced the rebound over but, after Garcia thwarted Jon Olasagasti one-on-one and Joao Cancelo's cross struck the post, De Jong slotted home from Cancelo's sublime left-wing cross.
Lewandowski and Dani Olmo both brought saves from Ryan early in the second period as Barca looked to extend its lead, while Paco Cortes shot into the side-netting for Levante having slipped at a crucial moment.
Barca put the game beyond doubt, though, when Lopez scored a screamer with nine minutes to go, receiving Lamine Yamal's lay-off and hammering one into the top-right corner with a slight kiss off the post.
There would have been even more gloss had Ryan not made a fantastic double save to deny Raphinha and Lopez, but Barca had already done what it needed to do.






























