Cancelo Shines as Barça Reclaim La Liga Summit After Real Madrid Slip Up
Barcelona beat a dull Levante side to go back top of La Liga, with Joao Cancelo outstanding at left-back. Bernal, De Jong and Fermín got the goals.
Barcelona are back on top of La Liga — and they didn’t even have to do anything special to get there. Real Madrid did them a massive favour by losing in Pamplona to Osasuna, and Hansi Flick’s lot made sure they capitalised with a convincing win over a pretty toothless Levante side.
Back Where They Belong
It was the kind of evening where everything just clicked for Barça. Levante were, frankly, grey — offering very little going forward and struggling to cope with the hosts’ intensity. The result was never really in doubt, and Barça got the job done with a degree of comfort that’ll please Flick no end.
The goals were shared around nicely:
- Bernal got on the scoresheet
- Frenkie de Jong added his name to the list — always good to see him contributing at both ends
- Fermín rounded things off
Three different goalscorers, a clean sheet (or near enough), job done.
Cancelo — This Is the Bloke Barça Need
The real talking point, though, is Joao Cancelo. The Portuguese full-back was absolutely electric from left-back, and on this sort of form he’s as good as anyone in that position in Europe.
He was involved in everything going forward, created danger consistently, and defensively he was switched on all night. When Barça get this version of Cancelo — the one who looks like he’s genuinely loving his football — they’re a proper handful.
The Goalkeeper Deserves a Mention
Credit where it’s due — the Barça keeper pulled off a crucial one-on-one save against Olasagasti in the first half that kept the scoreline comfortable. One of those moments that can shift a game if it goes the other way, and he was equal to it. Rated an 8 at half-time, which tells you all you need to know.
The Bigger Picture
With Madrid dropping points at Osasuna, this was a free hit at the top of the table — and Barça took it. A few things worth noting:
- Flick’s side look settled and are playing with real confidence right now
- Levante were poor, so don’t read too much into the margin of victory
- Cancelo’s form is arguably the most encouraging sign — if he keeps this up, Barça’s left flank becomes a genuine weapon
All in all, a good night’s work at the Camp Nou. Barça are back on top, the league title race is very much alive, and Cancelo is looking like the player they always hoped he could be.