Barça 2-2 (5-4 pens) Levante: Late drama... And league champions!
FC Barcelona are futsal league champions in the most dramatic of fashions. After losing game one at home but then tying the series with a win in Valencia, they have beaten Levante in game three to take the title.
It was an absolute thriller of a game, in which Levante were just seconds away from victory on two occasions, both in regular time and in extra time, but both times Barça managed to equalise at the very last gasp.
The Catalans had to battle against all the odds, including having André Coelho sent off for a second yellow, but this was a game in which the blaugrana insisting on fighting until the very end - and their efforts were rewarded not once but twice.
It was Daniel who levelled things right at the very end to force overtime, and then with just 46 seconds of extra time remaining, and with Barça once again behind, Matheus found the net to set up a penalty shootout.
And that’s when goalkeeper Dídac Plana stepped up to wield his magic and earn FC Barcelona the most incredible of victories to send the almost 2,000 fans in the Palau Blaugrana into absolute delirium!
Fifth league title
This is Barça’s fifth domestic futsal league title and the 12th trophy in total of the Plaza-Lahoz era, which has included one Champions League.
It was also the last of 21 trophies for Aicardo after nine seasons at the club
The win means Barça have equalled ElPozo’s record of five league titles. They have all come in a glorious decade that started with the club’s maiden championship in 2010/11.
Of the current squad, Sergio Lozano is the player who has participated in most of those victories, no fewer than four, and his overall tally as 25 major trophies is also a club record.
MATCH STATS
Barça: Dídac, Aicardo, Dyego, Marcenio, Ferrao, Coelho, Daniel, Esquerdinha, Adolfo, Ximbinha, Matheus, Joselito.
Levante: Fede, Maxi Rescia, Rubi Lemos, Gallo, Pedro Toro, Esteban, Tolrà, Roger, Rafa Usín, Rivillos.
Goals: 0-1, Pedro Toro (min 21). 1-1, Daniel (min 40). 1-2, Rafa Usín (min 42). 2-2, Matheus (min 45) / Penalties: 1-0, Ferrao. 2-0, Ximbinha. 2-1, Rafa Usín. 2-2, Rivillos. 3-2, Marcenio. 3-3, Maxi Rescia. 4-3, Dyego. 4-4, Tolrà. 5-4, Daniel.
Referees: Felipe Madorrán, Urdanoz Apezteguia. Yellow for Esquerdinha, Ferrao & Ximbinha of Barça, and Tolrà, Pedro Toro, Rafa Usín & Rubi Lemos of Levante. André Coelho sent off for second yellow.
Attendance: 1786 at the Palau Blaugrana.
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