Levante 0-5 Barcelona: 3 reasons why Barca beat Levante | LaLiga 2018-19

After some significant time, FC Barcelona has run riot away from home. Having lost their previous match to Levante with an interesting 5-4 scoreline at the end of last season, La Blaugrana were expected to have a tough night.

Even a win for the visitors was expected to come at a maximum one-goal margin, as they have had just satisfactory victories or complacent draws away from home this season. However, the defending champions had other ideas. With most of their players in perfect shape, fluorescent men forced their opponents on to the back foot almost throughout the match.

As the match kicked off, the home side looked competitive and determined with their pressing & counter attacks. Although this was in vain as their efforts were nullified by Messi and company.

Lets analyse why Barca demolished Levante.

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#1 Lionel Messi’s domination

The slightest presence of the Barcelona talisman is enough to decide a tie

It was business as usual for Lionel Messi as he eased through Levante's defence more than once, as Messi illuminated his career with yet another hat-trick to his name. In addition to his goals, he also set up two goals for his teammates.

Football fans across the world have now started to take notice of Messi's genius afresh, thanks to his exploits on the field, irrespective of his presence on the score sheet. Starting from setting up a goal for Luis Suarez to making another for Gerrard Pique, the Argentine’s presence was imprinted all over the home side’s suffering. He got a hat-trick between these 2 assists.

As has been proven again and again, even the slightest presence of the Barcelona talisman is enough to decide a tie. His 3 goals and 2 assists left Levante awestruck. Messi's Man of the Match performance helped Barcelona keep the top spot in LaLiga.

#2 Valverde's perfect experiment

The experiment gave some good inference for matches to come

Fielding three center backs, with the two left-footed, Vermaelen and Lenglet, and Pique as a right wing-back, is a real gamble. But doing that at a time when players are in fine shape is a good thing as well.

Playing other midfielders who can compensate for Pique’s lack of pace turned out to be a peach of a decision. Despite being caught on the break a couple of times, the experiment gave some good inference for matches to come.

The reason for mentioning this experiment is because it rested the apparently overused Semedo. Nevertheless, it had no compromise in the quality, and ensured a typical Barcelona game play.

Taking off Vermaelen in the second half to ensure perfect play time split between the unused players proved to be another masterstroke, as it reaped them one goal through Pique and also tidy squad rotation, the Barca manager’s decision was one of the instrumental reasons for the win.

#3 Levante's inability to fight back

Luis Suarez and co overwhelmed their hosts

Playing a match at home with fans watching and shouting their lungs out to cheer is one of the biggest advantages in football. Capitalising on such an edge, Levante started off in a very good rhythm, but struggled to sustain the rhythm as the match went on.

Although the opposition played a great game, they left huge voids at the back. Despite finding themselves with such golden opportunities, the home side bottled them.

It might be quite unjustifiable to say the Valencia based club didn't show character and intent. Rather, they failed to show such character and intent at the right moments.

Barring a couple of saves in the second half, and a crossbar shot, Levante's attacking players could not come up with anything of note to trouble the league leaders' defence. The disappointing result left them stranded at 8th on the LaLiga table.