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Barcelona dropped points for the second La Liga game in a row, as they squandered a 2-0 lead in an entertaining 3-3 draw at Levante. The draw means Barcelona, with 76 points, remain second in the standings.
Atletico Madrid continue to lead the way with 77 points and have a game in hand. Barcelona's fierce rivals Real Madrid, who are in third place with 75 points, will usurp the Blaugrana if they win against Granada on Wednesday.
Lionel Messi took another step towards winning his eighth Pichichi Trophy when he opened the scoring against Levante with an acrobatic first-time finish. Pedri doubled Barcelona's lead in the 34th minute after Ousmane Dembele's pass found the teenager in front of an empty net.
However, Levante scored twice in two minutes to restore parity, thanks to brilliant efforts from Gonzalo Melero and Jose Luis Morales.
Ousmane Dembele thought he scored the winner for Barcelona in the 64th minute, but the Blaugrana's defensive frailties were exposed once again when Sergio Leon made it 3-3 on the night seven minutes from time.
With the draw, Barcelona would need other results to go their way to win the league title. That's because if Atletico win their three remaining games, they'll be crowned champions. On that note, let's take a look at the five talking points from this game.
#1 Barcelona's first-half dominance gets undone by poor defending
Barcelona had a firm grasp on the game by half-time, as they had a comfortable two-goal cushion.
However, instead of trying to put the game to bed in the second half, Barcelona's intensity dropped, which allowed Levante a way back into the game. Moreover, the Blaugrana performed poorly in defence, with full-back Sergi Roberto playing in an unfamiliar central defensive position not helping their cause.
#2 Levante ensure their top-flight status with a crucial point
With a win, Barcelona would have taken charge of the title race. But that didn't happen. Instead, Levante ensured that they'd remain in the Spanish top flight for the 2021-22 campaign with a hard-earned point from the game.
Levante now have 40 points from 36 games and have an unassailable ten-point lead over 18th-placed Huesca, who have a game in hand.
Levante have returned to form at just the right time, as their second draw in as many games following four-straight losses has saved them from relegation.
Also Read: 10 highest-paid players in La Liga this season (2020-21).
#3 Ousmane Dembele produces a clinical display for Barcelona
Ousmane Dembele was one of the best Barcelona players against Levante. The young winger started on the right-flank in a wing-back role. Though he underwhelmed in defence, Dembele was clinical in the final third, picking up an assist and a goal.
His ability to run with the ball was key in Barcelona scoring their second goal. Dembele sprinted into the opposition box, leaving Levante defenders in his wake. Spotting goalkeeper Aitor Fernández off his line, Dembele teed up Pedri, who produced an unerring finish.
The Frenchman also got his name on the scoresheet in the 64th minute. The goal stood after a quick VAR check. Unfortunately, Barcelona could not hold on to their lead as they had to settle for a share of the spoils.
#4 Lionel Messi all but assured of his eighth Pichichi trophy
Lionel Messi opened the scoring for Barcelona. The Blaugrana captain was at the right place at the right time, as a deflected cross fell kindly for him; Messi caught the ball on the volley with his left foot to score his 29th of the campaign.
The Argentine is now eight clear of Karim Benzema in the 2020-21 La Liga scoring charts. With only two more rounds of games remaining, Messi is on the cusp of a record-extending eighth Pichichi trophy.
While Messi might end up winning the individual accolade, Barcelona could fall short in a thrilling La Liga title race.
#5 La Liga title slipping out of Barcelona's grasp
Barcelona squandered a golden opportunity to go atop the league standings. They led by two goals at the break and then 3-2 with less than half an hour remaining, but the Blaugrana failed to make their ascendancy count.
With just two games left to play this season, Barcelona now need both Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid to drop points in their next few games, which seems like an unlikely proposition.
Veteran Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets has admitted that the chances of his team winning the league title this season are very slim. In the post-match conference following the Levante game, he said:
"There are very few options for us to win the league now. The point means very little to us. We weren't precise with our passing, and they took full advantage. We had our chances, but we paid for our mistakes - we've not had a good second half."
The title race is not over yet, but Barcelona have ceded ground with one loss and two draws in their last four games.
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