Lionel Messi struck late in the second half to help struggling Barcelona push past Levante 1-0 on Sunday night at the Camp Nou.
The Catalonians entered the match losers of their last two games and were exhibiting the same stagnant, predictable football that has plagued Ronald Koeman’s side this season, but a late surge culminating with Messi’s great strike made sure the day ended in triumphant fashion.
Koeman gave the nod to Ronald Araujo ahead of Samuel Umtiti at centre-back, while the likes of Sergio Busquets, Philippe Coutinho and Martin Braithwaite returned to the line-up, meaning Pedri, Miralem Pjanic and Trincao were on the bench.
Barcelona were the ones with the ball at the start, however it was Levante getting the first scoring chance when a flick-on from Gonzalo Melero set up De Frutos, but it bore nothing as Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen came up with a big save.
The same could be said at the other end as Aitor Fernandez make an alert save on an Antoine Griezmann header, with the follow-up shot from Clement Lenglet sent skyward. The Levante No.1 had to be even better to stop another Griezmann chance, this time a stinging right-footed volley off a pass from Messi.
Barcelona’s attacking woes continued into the second half, so the exasperated Koeman went to his bench, bringing on Pedri for Busquets just shy of the hour mark.
Of the two sides, Barcelona were creating more chances but that’s not to say there were any nerves. Any time Levante started to venture on the counter-attack, the frustration could be felt inside the Camp Nou if with no fans present.
Trincao for Coutinho was the next change, with Barcelona pegging the visitors further back in their own area but the Levante defence still not breached.
The breakthrough would finally come thanks to some hard work from Braithwaite and De Jong, who teamed up to recover a ball in the Levante half, with De Jong quickly finding Messi and the Argentine banking in a shot off the post to hand Barcelona a 1-0 lead.
With the goal and the lead, Barcelona were able to hold the line the rest of the way to nail down, despite a few decent looks for the Valencians, to collect a badly needed three points.
Match Sheet
1.- Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Dest, Lenglet, Araujo, Jordi Alba; Busquets (Pedri, min. 58), De Jong; Coutinho (Trincao, min. 70), Griezmann (Umtiti, min. 89), Messi; Braithwaite.
0.- Levante: Aitor Fernandez; Coke (Miramon, min. 68), Vezo, Postigo, Clerc; Malsa, Vukcevic (Radoja, min. 68), Melero (Sergio Leon, min. 82); De Frutos (Son, min. 82), Dani Gomez, Roger (Morales, min. 68).
Goals: 1-0, min. 76: Messi
Referee: De Burgos Bengoetxea (Basque). Cards: Vukcevic (Min. 42) for Levante, De Jong (Min. 49) for Barcelona, Braithwaite (Min. 87) for Barcelona
Red cards: None
Stadium: Camp Nou
Attendance: 0
