Levante stuns Barcelona 3-1 after Messi scores opener

By: The Associated Press Posted: 12:11 PM CDT Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019

VALENCIA, Spain - Levante roared back from Lionel Messi's opening goal to shock Barcelona 3-1 in the Spanish league on Saturday.

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VALENCIA, Spain - Levante roared back from Lionel Messi's opening goal to shock Barcelona 3-1 in the Spanish league on Saturday.

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This article was published 02/11/2019 (2525 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VALENCIA, Spain – Levante roared back from Lionel Messi’s opening goal to shock Barcelona 3-1 in the Spanish league on Saturday.

Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, and Sevilla can all move past Barcelona if they win later Saturday. Granada can also jump ahead of the defending champions on Sunday. Barcelona has a postponed game in hand against Madrid that has been moved to Dec. 18.

Barcelona appeared to be in charge after Messi converted a spot kick in the 38th minute after Nelson Semedo was tripped by Jorge Miramón in the box. The goal extended Messi’s scoring run to five consecutive games.

Levante's Jose Campana celebrates after scoring his side opening goal against Barcelona during the Spanish La Liga soccer match in Valencia, Spain, Nov.2 , 2019. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

But Barcelona lost striker Luis Suárez to a right leg injury before halftime and started the second half sluggishly. They conceded three times in eight minutes.

Levante’s first two goals both came after Barcelona made long passes from its area that were picked off by the host, which with one pass was already in striking position.

José Campaña equalized in the 61st when he fired home from a short pass laid off my Borja Mayoral. Mayoral put Levante ahead two minutes later with a curling shot from the top of the area. Nemanja Radoja added a third in the 68th after the ball reached him on the edge of the area following a free kick.

Levante moved into eighth place.