Barcelona missed another chance to top the Spanish Football League La Liga as the team played a crucial match 3–3 draw against Levante, despite a two-goal lead. Barcelona were ahead 2–0 and then 3–2 at one time but could not maintain their lead, while each of its players were well aware that a win would lead their team to the top.
Lionel Messi scored the first goal for Barcelona in the 25th minute, while Pedro Gonzalez doubled the lead in the 34th minute to put his team ahead 2–0 at halftime. Levante made a great comeback in the second half.
Gonzalo Melero (57th) and Jose Luis Morales (59th minute) equaled Levante with two goals in two minutes. Ousmane Dembele gave Barcelona a lead again in the 64th minute but Sergio León scored an equalizer goal for Levante in the 83rd minute. In other matches, Alaves beat Elchi 2–0 while Osasuna beat Cadiz 3–2.
With this match being drawn, Barcelona are now one point behind Atletico Madrid in second place. The Catalan team had played a goalless draw with rival team Atletico in last match.
Atletico has played one match less than that. Atlético’s next match will be with fifth-ranked Real Sociedad. Barcelona are one point ahead of defending champions Real Madrid, who take on number 10 Granada on Thursday. Only two rounds of matches will remain after these matches.
Watch match highlights here.
Levante – Barcelona 3-3 (0-2)
Goals: Messi (25), Pedri (34), Melero (57), Morales (60), Dembele (64),Leon (84)
Levante UD: Aitor – Miramón (75. Coke), Vezo, Duarte (61. Malsa), Tono – De Frutos, Melero, Rober, E. Bardhi (61. Gomez) – Martí (75. S. Leon), Morales
FC Barcelona: Ter Stegen – R. Araujo (46. Roberto, 85. Puig), Pique, Lenglet, Alba – F. de Jong, S. Busquets, Pedri (74. Mingueza) – Messi, Griezmann (81. Braithwaite), O. Dembele (81. Dest)
Osasuna Pamplona – Cadiz CF 3-2 (1-0)
Goals: Budimir (38), Saponjić (49p), Budimir (75), Torres (87p),Perea (90)
Elche CF – Deportivo Alaves 0-2 (0-1)
Goals: Joselu (40), Rioja (54)
