Lionel Messi scored twice and missed a penalty as Barcelona stretched their 100 per cent record in La Liga to four games with a 4-1 win over Levante yesterday.
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Levante frustrated an experimental Barca side shorn of Luis Suarez from the start for 50 minutes before Marc Bartra settled the Catalans’ nerves from Messi’s cross.
Two Messi penalties, the first converted and the second missed, came either side of the visitors pulling one back through Victor Casadesus, but Barca remained comfortable throughout.
“The fact that he missed a penalty does not make Messi any more human”, Luis Enrique stated at a press conference.
Asked at his post-game news conference if this penalty issue actually made the otherwise otherworldly Messi seem human, the blaugrana coach pointed to how the No 10’s overall contribution to the game had been well above the other mere mortals on the pitch. By that time, youth graduate Gerard Gumbau had replaced Busquets for his debut.
Yet, both failed to impress as Levante comfortably kept Barca at bay during the first period and could even have taken a shock lead had Nabil Ghilas kept his composure instead of blazing wildly off target midway through the half.
Luis Enrique: “We deserved to win (against Roma) but I thought it was a fine all-round performance”.
Messi also sent a free-kick over the bar and then created an opportunity for Neymar after Levante for once allowed themselves to get stretched, but the Brazilian winger shot disappointingly wide.
Levante have been playing with a back five formation and are expected to continue to play the 5-3-2 that will ensure they are hard to break down at Camp Nou.
Befitting a rather odd game, the opening goal came through an unusual route as central defender Marc Bartra strode forward to spark an attack, continued his run into the area and received a lofted pass from Messi to slot home a low shot.
Villarreal moved to third place by beating Athletic Bilbao 3-1 at its El Madrigal Stadium with goals by Bruno Soriano in the 43rd, Mario Gaspar in the 67th and Leo Baptistao in the 80th.
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The La Liga match between Barcelona and Levante will be held today, September 20 at 2:30 p.m. EST.
