Barça 3-0 Levante: Party time at Camp Nou!

Questions may have been asked about FC Barcelona’s football in recent weeks, but nobody will be asking any questions about today’s performance. The Catalans were simply outstanding from start to finish as they cruised to 3-0 victory against Levante.

And what had already been a flawless display was made all that much better in the final 15 minutes. Ansu Fati made a triumphant return after nine months out through injury … Everything the teenager did in his short time on the pitch was magnificent, and he capped it off with a stunning goal that did every justice to the number ten he was wearing on his back.

Double Dutch

This was the ideal occasion to get back to winning ways. Levante had never so much as drawn at Camp Nou before, and after just fifteen minutes it already looked highly unlikely that that circumstance was going to change today.

Barça had also scored in every one of their 30 league meetings with Levante. And this one was only ten minutes old when we could already make that 31.

It came from the penalty spot. Memphis jiggled and juggled his way into the area, got tripped on entry and was the natural choice to take the clear penalty – which he converted with silky composure.

Barça quickly doubled the lead, with the second goal also coming from the feet of a Dutchman. Sergiño Dest did a wonderful job of anticipating where Luuk de Jong was going to be and the latter picked his spot brilliantly. His first goal in a Barça jersey, and the Camp Nou was rocking.

All under control

The 35,334 people inside the ground were being offered a treat. The spark that has been missing from Barça’s game in the last few weeks was back with a bang. Utter dominance, and this time the ball was going in. A delight to behold.

For the second game in a row, Barça had not allowed a single shot against them in the first half. After the break it wasn’t quite such a case of one-way traffic, but Levante’s timid approaches were never any major cause for alarm. The only real doubt was whether Barça would be able to add to their lead or not.

Ansu!!!

The third goal just wasn’t happening, but Ronald Koeman had an ace up his sleeve.

The biggest buzz of the day came when Ansu Fati took his place ready to enter the fray. Out through injury since December, the 18-year-old returned to the field to rapturous applause from every corner of the stadium.

And with his new number ten on his back, we were immediately reminded what we’ve been missing … no sooner had he touched the ball than he was already off on one of his dazzling runs.

He’d only been on the field a matter of minutes when he collected from Memphis, cheekily shimmied his way past flummoxed Levante defenders and picked his spot on the edge of the area. And then… Whack! An absolute peach of a goal.

What. A. Comeback!

The Camp Nou roared. This was more than a game of football. This was a statement of intent.

There’s a huge game with Benfica to come next, and then it’s back-to-back Liga fixtures against Atlético Madrid, Valencia and Real Madrid. Before today, that series of games may well have been cause for alarm. Not any more. Instead, they are challenges to relish.

Naturally, it’s Ansu Fati’s name that’s on everyone’s lips right now, but there was a marked improvement from everyone today. Such a faultless display truly has put the smiles back on FC Barcelona faces everywhere. We can all sleep a lot easier tonight! Força Barça!

MATCH STATS

Barça: Ter Stegen, Dest (Lenglet, min 88), Piqué, Eric Garcia, Mingueza (Araujo, min 81), Sergio, Nico, Gavi (Demir, min 81), Coutinho (Riqui Puig, min 59), Memphis, Luuk de Jong (Ansu Fati, min 81).

Llevant: Aitor Fernández, Clerc, Mustafi (Rober Pier, min 76), Postigo, Miramón, Radoja (P. Martínez, min 55), Pepelu (Vuksevic, min 68), Melero, De Frutos (Cantero, min 68), Dani Gómez (Morales, min 55), Roger Martí

Goals: 1-0, Memphis (min 6); 2-0, Luuk De Jong (min 14); 3-0, Ansu Fati (min 91).

Referee: Isidro Díaz de Mera Escuderos. Yellows for Gavi (Barça) and Sergio Postigo, Pepelu & Clerc (Levante)