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#1 Messi's absence hurt Barcelona
Ernesto Valverde took a huge gamble by resting superstar Lionel Messi from the starting XI and not even naming him on the bench. This eventually hurt Barcelona as his unavailability cost the Spanish Champions their unbeaten streak.
Messi single-handedly can change the complexion of a game on his own and Barca missed that against Levante. They in fact needed the Argentinian to provide that spark and turn the game around, not at the hour mark but when the Catalonians fell behind to a two-goal margin in the first half.
Phillipe Coutinho and Luis Suarez did stage a comeback but it wasn't enough. Had it been for Messi's involvement, Valverde's side probably wouldn't have fallen behind by such a margin as just the presence of the World's Best Player on the pitch would have been enough to lift Barcelona with his all-around magic in the final third of the pitch.
His appearance from the bench could have also proven to be decisive but not naming the Argentinian wizard even on the bench will potentially end up manager Valverde in the middle of numerous questions and criticism from fans and media alike as Barcelona can no longer call themselves "invincibles".
