Barcelona maintained their perfect start to the 2026/27 LaLiga season on Sunday after surviving a late scare to defeat Levante 4-2 at the Ciutat de València, with Lamine Yamal scoring twice and Raphinha providing two assists.
The victory extended Barcelona’s winning run to five matches in LaLiga and kept Hansi Flick’s side at the top of the table with 15 points from 15 available. Real Madrid remain three points behind the defending champions after the opening five rounds.
It was a match that appeared to be heading towards another comfortable Barcelona victory before Levante produced a spirited late response. Barça had established a three-goal advantage early in the second half, only for the home side to score twice in the final 15 minutes and suddenly turn the contest into a tense finish.
Karim Adeyemi eventually ended the drama in stoppage time with a superb individual effort to secure all three points for the visitors.
Barcelona needed only five minutes to make their early dominance count. Xavi Espart opened the scoring with his first competitive goal for the club, receiving the ball around the edge of the penalty area before creating space and firing a low right-footed shot beyond Levante goalkeeper Matthew Ryan.
Raphinha was credited with the assist after combining with the Barcelona attack to create the opening for Espart. The early goal immediately placed Levante under pressure and gave Barcelona the platform to control possession.
The visitors doubled their advantage in the 19th minute, and once again Raphinha was at the centre of the move.
Barcelona worked the ball forward through Pau Cubarsí and Fermín López before Raphinha carried possession into the penalty area. The Brazilian then cut the ball back towards Lamine Yamal, who made no mistake from close range to put Barcelona 2-0 ahead.
It was Yamal’s first goal of the afternoon, but the teenager was far from finished.
Levante showed signs of life before the break and actually created enough opportunities to remind Barcelona that the game was not completely under control. The home side finished the first half with six shots compared with Barcelona’s three, but they were unable to turn their pressure into a goal.
Barcelona began the second half with the same attacking intent and needed just 42 seconds to extend their advantage.
Yamal raced into space and was brought down inside the penalty area by Levante defender Mandi. The referee pointed to the spot, giving the 19-year-old an opportunity to complete his brace.
Yamal accepted the responsibility and calmly sent Ryan the wrong way from the penalty spot to make it 3-0.
The goal continued a remarkable run for the Barcelona winger. It was his third consecutive LaLiga match in which he had scored twice, highlighting the extraordinary consistency he has shown at the beginning of the campaign.
With a three-goal cushion, Barcelona appeared to have the match under control. Flick made changes as the visitors looked to manage the remainder of the contest, but Levante refused to surrender.
The home side finally found a way back into the game in the 79th minute when a misplaced pass from Espart went straight to Iván Romero. The Levante forward took advantage of the defensive mistake, rounded goalkeeper Joan García and rolled the ball into an empty net.
Suddenly, the atmosphere inside the stadium changed.
Levante continued pushing forward and were rewarded again in the 88th minute. Roger Brugué burst through the Barcelona defence, survived several challenges and found the net to reduce the deficit to 3-2.
The home supporters began to believe that an extraordinary comeback was possible, while Barcelona were suddenly under significant pressure.
However, Adeyemi ensured there would be no dramatic collapse.
In the 93rd minute, the German forward embarked on a superb solo run, beating his marker with a clever backheel before calmly finishing to restore Barcelona’s two-goal advantage and seal the 4-2 victory.
The final goal completed an entertaining contest in which Barcelona’s attacking quality ultimately proved decisive. The champions had enough quality to build a commanding lead, while their ability to respond after Levante’s late fightback ensured that two defensive mistakes did not cost them valuable points.
Yamal was again the headline performer, with his two goals taking centre stage, but Raphinha’s contribution was equally important. The Brazilian did not get his name on the scoresheet, yet he created two goals and remained a major threat throughout the match. Barcelona’s official report also highlighted that his second assist came for Yamal’s first goal.
The result means Barcelona have now won all five of their LaLiga matches this season. Their perfect league record leaves them alone at the summit with 15 points, three points clear of Real Madrid.
For Levante, the defeat was painful because of how close they came to rescuing a point after trailing 3-0. Their late attacking surge exposed some vulnerabilities in Barcelona’s defence, but Adeyemi’s individual brilliance ultimately ended their hopes.
Barcelona will now turn their attention to their next league fixture against Racing Santander, with the opportunity to extend their perfect start even further. Flick’s side are already showing the attacking strength that made them one of the favourites for the title, but the late scare against Levante also offered a reminder that matches can change quickly when defensive concentration drops.
MATCH SUMMARY
Levante 2-4 Barcelona
Goals:
5’ Xavi Espart, Barcelona
19’ Lamine Yamal, Barcelona
48’ Lamine Yamal, Barcelona, penalty
79’ Iván Romero, Levante
88’ Roger Brugué, Levante
90+3’ Karim Adeyemi, Barcelona
Assists:
5’ Raphinha for Xavi Espart
19’ Raphinha for Lamine Yamal
Penalty: Lamine Yamal, 48’
