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Barcelona were not at their sharpest but still managed to beat Levante 4–2 on Sunday to record their sixth consecutive victory to open the 2026–27 campaign.
It was a familiar start for Hansi Flick's side as Xavi Espart broke the deadlock within the opening five minutes, netting the first goal of his professional career. Lamine Yamal doubled the advantage later in the first half after a powerful run and smart cut-back from Raphinha, who registered his second assist of the afternoon.
Lamine Yamal then added a third via a penalty he won shortly after the interval, seemingly putting the match to bed with more than 40 minutes remaining. However, Flick's men grew complacent and gradually allowed Levante to claw their way back into the contest.
A costly Xavi Espart giveaway allowed Ivan Romero to pull one back, before Roger Brugué sliced through the entire Barça backline to make it a one-goal game out of nowhere with 10 minutes left. Karim Adeyemi was forced to produce a stunning individual goal late on to settle the nerves and seal the three points.
Barcelona remain unbeaten this season, and their electric attack continues to dazzle, yet the victory over Levante still left the Catalans with questions to answer. Here are three key takeaways from the match.
Xavi Espart Is the Real Deal
One of the standout stories of the season at Barcelona has been the emergence of La Masia teenager Xavi Espart. Despite competing with João Cancelo and Alejandro Balde for a place in the starting lineup, Espart has featured in every La Liga match so far and has been among the club's most impressive performers in the early weeks of the campaign.
Espart is not a natural left back—his primary role is at right back; however, he progressed through the academy as a classic Barcelona-style midfielder. Even so, the youngster has not put a foot wrong when deployed out of position; if anything, he has made Barça a better team.
His natural tendency to drift inside in possession fits seamlessly into Flick's setup, freeing Anthony Gordon to provide width as an out-and-out touchline winger. Balde, by contrast, struggled last season because his instinct is to bomb forward along the flank, and he was repeatedly blocked by Marcus Rashford occupying that same channel ahead of him.
Espart's effectiveness as an inverted fullback has been a major asset for Barça in possession, contributing to two assists already, and on Sunday he capped his display by scoring the first goal of his senior career after receiving the ball centrally just outside the penalty area.
Barcelona supporters have begun drawing comparisons to German legend Philipp Lahm, and while he still has a considerable journey ahead to reach that standard, he has more than earned his place in the starting eleven. Both Cancelo and, in particular, Balde face a serious battle to reclaim their spots.
It should be noted, however, that his careless turnover which gifted Levante their consolation goal was a glaring error.
Lamine Yamal's First 30-Goal Season Brewing?
Concerns over Lamine Yamal's form heading into the new season were understandable, given it had been more than three months since he had performed at his electrifying best, and he was largely subdued during Spain's World Cup campaign.
Barça's No. 10 failed to contribute a single goal or assist in the opening two matches of the season, yet he has since racked up seven goal contributions across his last four appearances, including braces in three consecutive La Liga outings.
Consistency and clinical finishing were areas of Yamal's game that required development. He has always been an exceptional dribbler and a player capable of conjuring chances from nothing, but converting them was not always his strong suit.
With his brace on Sunday, Yamal now has six La Liga goals, putting him nearly halfway to his total league tally from last season. He is also already more than a quarter of the way to the 24 goals he scored across all competitions last term—his best single-season return to date.
Given how sharp Yamal looks in front of goal and how potent Barcelona are going forward, it would be a surprise if, injuries aside, 2026–27 does not become the first season of his career in which he reaches 30 goals.
Barcelona's Sloppiest Game of the Term
The result was never truly in doubt, and the final scoreline reflects yet another commanding Barça victory. That said, it was far from a polished display from the Catalans—in fact, it was their most unconvincing performance of the season so far.
The intense heat may have played a role, but Flick's players were uncharacteristically careless in possession, particularly when building from the back. Levante's press caused problems, though Barça also took needless risks defensively, attempting to dribble out of tight spots and inviting dangerous turnovers in the process.
Barcelona never looked fully at ease on the pitch, with sluggish passing sequences, unforced errors and a lack of urgency characterising their afternoon. A degree of complacency crept in late on, allowing Levante to get back into the match and turn the closing minutes into an unnecessarily tense affair.
The sheer firepower of Barcelona's attack ultimately bailed them out of an otherwise disjointed and erratic showing. However, Levante exposed certain weaknesses in Barça's game—particularly at the back—more than any other opponent has this season. Had the hosts been more ruthless in front of goal—they squandered three of their five big chances—the final scoreline could have looked very different.
Flick, ultimately, has plenty to address after this performance, because for long stretches against Levante, Barcelona resembled the flawed side of a season ago—one that had a habit of undermining itself at crucial moments.