Barcelona defeat Levante with thrilling comeback in La Liga

Reigning Spanish League champions recovered from a two-goal, halftime shortage to propulsion disconnected a stunning comeback against Levante.

Barcelona fought backmost from a two-goal shortage to triumph 3-2 astatine Levante with a precocious own-goal by the hosts successful La Liga.

Defending champions Barcelona needed Pedri Gonzalez and Ferran Torres to people aboriginal successful the 2nd fractional to equalise aft the recently promoted Levante had rolled to a astonishment two-goal pb astatine halftime connected Saturday.

Lamine Yamal past helped to nutrient the winning extremity erstwhile helium curled a transverse into the 6-yard box, and Levante’s Unai Elgezabal headed into his ain net.

Levante striker Ivan Romero earlier struck from a counterattack successful the 15th infinitesimal that started with a shot mislaid by Yamal. Jose Luis Morales made it 2-0 successful first-half wounded clip by converting a punishment aft a video reappraisal called a handball by Alejandro Balde erstwhile helium blocked Morales’s shot.

But Pedri started the fightback successful the 49th erstwhile helium received Yamal’s walk good extracurricular the area, picked his spot successful the country of the nett and blasted successful a changeable from agelong range.

Ferran, who had deed the woodwork successful the archetypal half, levelled successful the 52nd erstwhile helium fended disconnected his marker and volleyed successful Raphinha’s country kick.

Barcelona past pressed for the decider, which Yamal helped find conscionable aft the 90 minutes were up.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick praised Pedri for his goal, saying that “it changed the match”.

“The archetypal extremity we scored helped america a batch to get our assurance successful the box, but until the end, it was not casual for america to get the 3 points.”

Barcelona won its opener astatine nine-man Mallorca 3-0 last weekend.

Barcelona’s Ferran Torres scores his team’s 2nd extremity against Levante successful the 52nd infinitesimal [David Ramirez/Soccrates via Getty Images]

Rashford makes archetypal league start

Newcomer Marcus Rashford made his archetypal league commencement for Barcelona since his indebtedness determination from Manchester United as a left-side guardant for Flick.

The English planetary was replaced by Dani Olmo astatine halftime, aft the biggest threats had travel from Pedri’s passes successful the mediate and Yamal’s incursions down the right.

“I deliberation Marcus [Rashford] had immoderate situations successful the archetypal fractional wherever helium showed however bully helium is and however helium tin assistance us, and that is however we person to continue,” Flick said.

Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski played his archetypal minutes of the play arsenic a precocious substitute aft recovering from a musculus injury.

Barca volition sojourn Rayo Vallecano adjacent week arsenic it continues its rubric defence. Levante, which has mislaid some its opening fixtures, volition question to Elche, hoping for a much affirmative result.

Marcus Rashford, right, connected indebtedness from Premier League nine Manchester United, made his debut for Barcelona against Levante connected Saturday [Jose Breton/NurPhoto via Getty Images]