The Blaugrana registered their seventh successive win in the league on Sunday night as they beat Levante 3-2. Striker Luuk De Jong came off the bench in the 84th minute and won the match for his side with a header in added time.
Barca, reformed after the arrival of Xavi Hernandez and a horde of January signings, are secure in second following their remarkable run, during which they beat the likes of Valencia, Athletic Club, Real Madrid, and Sevilla. Their latest win, on Sunday night, came against 19th-placed Levante.
Only a combination of Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Eric Garcia prevented Levante from taking the lead in the 26th minute. Forward Jose Morales was prepared to wheel away in celebration after dribbling past the entirety of the Barca defence and unleashing a shot goalwards – but his effort was saved by Ter Stegen and then cleared off the line by Garcia.
Levante did, however, take the lead in the 51st minute. Morales put the LaLiga strugglers ahead from the spot after Dani Alves had fouled Francisco ‘Son’ Hidalgo inside the box.
Four minutes after they had taken the lead, Levante were rewarded another spot-kick – this time, because Garcia had handled the ball inside his area. But, Ter Stegen denied Roger Marti, and Barcelona survived.
They then took the lead through goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Pedri in the 59th and the 63rd minute, respectively, capping off a frenzied period of chances at both ends. Aubameyang scored with his head off an Ousmane Dembele cross first before Pedri diverted a Gavi pass beyond Dani Cardenas in the Levante goal.
A foul from Clement Lenglet on Dani Gomez in the 83rd minute resulted in Levante’s third penalty of the match, which Gonzalo Melero converted to bring the scores level.
But, De Jong came off the bench to win the match for Barcelona in the 92nd minute. The Dutchman beat his marker to a cross from Jordi Alba at the near post and headed it past the goalkeeper.
3-2 Barcelona won, with the second leg of the Europa League quarterfinal against Eintracht Frankfurt coming up next.
