MADRID (AP) — Barcelona is Real Madrid’s stumbling block On Sunday, they regained first place in the Spanish league with a 3-0 victory over relegation-threatened Levante.
Marc Bernal, Frenkie de Jong and Fermin López each scored for Barcelona, who ended their losing streak at two and overcame a 2-1 defeat at rivals Madrid in Osasuna on Saturday.
Barcelona now has a one-point lead over Madrid, who had won eight consecutive league games before losing to Osasuna.
Barcelona lost 2-1 to Girona in the league, and lost 4-0 to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final.
“It was important to win and get the three points again,” Barcelona defender Joao Cancelo said. “Football gives you a chance to rebound. That’s what we did today, and after two bad games, we played well again.”
Barcelona have kept just one clean sheet in their last six games in all competitions.
Good start for Barcelona
Four minutes into the match at the Camp Nou Stadium, Bernal scored from close range. Bernal, 18, had scored his first goal for the first team against Mallorca two matchdays ago.
“They had chances early on, but my goal calmed us down and gave us confidence,” Bernal said.
In the 32nd minute, De Jong extended the lead from inside the area, and in the 81st minute, López scored a beautiful long-range shot that bounced off the post and into the goal, sealing the victory.
Levante’s Australian goalkeeper Matthew Ryan made two great saves in a row in the final minutes to prevent Barcelona from adding a fourth goal. First it was Rafinha’s header, then Lopez’s close-range shot off the rebound.
It was the fourth straight loss for 19th place Levante. They are now one point behind last-place Oviedo, who have a game remaining.
Levante have won just one of their last eight games.
Pedri came on in the 66th minute, looking to make a comeback from injury.
Other results
Sevilla defeated Getafe 1-0, their second win in their last 10 matches in all competitions.
Djibril Sow scored the winning goal for the away team in the 64th minute. Getafe played man-down from the 26th after receiving a red card for Jen Daconam.
The result leaves Sevilla in 11th place, just above Getafe.
Barcelona’s next league opponents, third-placed Villarreal, can move back to three points behind fourth-placed Atletico Madrid if they defeat Valencia at home later on Sunday. Atlético defeated Espanyol 4-2 at home on Saturday.
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