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Lionel Messi scored the only goal when Barcelona returned to winning ways with victory over Levante.
Martin Braithwaite, Clement Lenglet, Jordi Alba and Antoine Griezmann had chances, but found goalkeeper Aitor Fernández in inspired form.
But Fernandez was able to do little when Messi struck from an angle after the assist from Frenkie de Jong.
Levante’s best chance fell to Jorge de Frutos, while Marc-Andre ter Stegen denied substitute Son right at the end.
Barça’s fifth victory in the league lifts them two places in the La Liga table to eighth before Wednesday’s home game with leaders Real Sociedad (20:00 GMT).
Messi’s end was greeted with relief by his teammates after a bad week for Ronald Koeman’s team.
They followed a surprise defeat in Cádiz last weekend with a 3-0 backhand at home to Juventus in the Champions League.
That loss to Juve means that Barcelona will be seeded when the draw for the knockout stages of the Champions League takes place on Monday.
On Sunday, Levante was heading to a point after Fernández made a series of good saves.
He did well to push Griezmann’s header away before Lenglet threw a great opportunity over the bar.
Messi scored for the eighth time this season, to put Levante 18th in the table, two points behind safety.
Lineups
Barcelona
- 1ter Stegen
- 2Dest
- 4Araujo
- fifteenLenglet
- 18Sunrise
- 5BusquetsReplaced forGonzalezto 58 ‘minutes
- twenty-oneby JongReserved at 49 minutes
- 7GriezmannReplaced forUmtitito 89 ‘minutes
- 14CoutinhoReplaced forTrincão Axto 70 ‘minutes
- 9BraithwaiteBooked in 87mins
- 10Messi
Substitutes
- 6Alena
- 8Pjanic
- 12Puig
- 13Murara Net
- sixteenGonzalez
- 17Trincão Ax
- 19Fernandes Siqueira
- 2. 3Umtiti
- 24Firpo
- 26Pain
- 28Mingueza
- 29From the source
I raised
- 13Fernandez
- 2. 3Andujar MorenoReplaced forMiramonto 68 ‘minutes
- fifteenShutter
- 14Nunes Vezo
- 19Clerc
- 18of fruitsReplaced forgentlemanto 82 ‘minutes
- 17VukcevicReserved at 42 minutesReplaced forRadojato 68 ‘minutes
- 12Malsa
- 22MeleroReplaced forLionto 82 ‘minutes
- twenty-oneGomez Alcon
- 9MartiReplaced forMoralesto 68 ‘minutes
Substitutes
- 1Ruiz Ojeda
- 2gentleman
- 3Garcia Aranda
- 4Suarez Pier
- 5Radoja
- 6Duarte
- 7Lion
- elevenMorales
- sixteenRochina
- twentyMiramon
- 3. 4Cardenas
- Referee:
- Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea
Live text
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End of the match, Barcelona 1, Raise 0.
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Second half ends, Barcelona 1, Levante 0.
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Shot stopped brushing the left square. Son (Levante) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner.
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Corner, lift. Corner committed by Samuel Umtiti.
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Corner, lift. Corner committed by Samuel Umtiti.
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Auction rejected. Attempt blocked. José Luis Morales (Levante) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assistance from Son.
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Offside, Barcelona. Sergiño Dest tried a deep pass but Trincão was in an offside position.
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Change, Barcelona. Samuel Umtiti replaces Antoine Griezmann.
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Martin Braithwaite (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Martin Braithwaite (Barcelona).
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Jorge Miramón (Levante) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Clément Lenglet (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Dani Gómez (Levante).
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Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Raise. They are replaces Jorge de Frutos.
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Substitution, Raise. Sergio León replaces Gonzalo Melero.
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Hand of Martin Braithwaite (Barcelona).
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Shot stopped brushing the left square. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Martin Braithwaite.
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Jordi Alba (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive zone.
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