Fati returns with goal in Barcelona win

Substitute Ansu Fati scored in the 91st minute on his first appearance since 7 November 2020

Barcelona eased some pressure on absent manager Ronald Koeman with a comfortable La Liga victory over winless Levante at the Nou Camp.

Memphis Depay's sixth-minute penalty gave Barcelona the lead after the Dutch forward was fouled by Nemanja Radoja.

Compatriot Luuk de Jong then raced on to Sergino Dest's pass to score his first goal since joining on a season-long loan from Sevilla.

Substitute Ansu Fati hit the third on his return from a long-term injury.

Barcelona climb to fifth in La Liga and are five points behind leaders Real Madrid with a game in hand. Real were held by Villarreal on Saturday.

Barcelona v Levante as it happened

The pressure had been growing on manager Koeman after two wins from five La Liga matches this season had left them well adrift of the early pacesetters.

And although Koeman was absent from the dugout on Sunday, having been dismissed for dissent in Thursday's goalless draw with Cadiz, his players had little trouble in putting an end to a three-game winless run in all competitions.

Levante failed to register a shot until the 81st minute, while Depay was thwarted by several good saves from Aitor Fernandez.

A return and goal for 18-year-old Fati - wearing Lionel Messi's number 10 shirt on his first appearance since November 2020 after undergoing knee surgery - completed a fine success.

Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text

Line-upsBarcelona

Formation 4-2-3-1

1ter Stegen22Mingueza3Piqué24García2Dest28González Iglesias5Busquets30Paez Gaviria14Coutinho9Depay17de Jong

1ter Stegen22MinguezaSubstituted forAraujoat 81'minutes3Piqué24García2DestSubstituted forLengletat 89'minutes28González Iglesias5Busquets30Paez GaviriaBooked at 24minsSubstituted forDemirat 81'minutes14CoutinhoSubstituted forPuig Martíat 59'minutes9Depay17de JongSubstituted forFati Vieiraat 81'minutes

Substitutes

4Araujo6Puig Martí10Fati Vieira11Demir13Murara Neto15Lenglet23Umtiti26Peña Sotorres

Levante

Formation 4-4-2

1Fernández20Miramón15Postigo13Mustafi19Clerc18de Frutos5Radoja8García22Melero9Martí21Gómez Alcón

1Fernández20Miramón15PostigoBooked at 25mins13MustafiSubstituted forSuárez Pierat 77'minutes19ClercBooked at 86mins18de FrutosSubstituted forCanteroat 69'minutes5RadojaSubstituted forMartínezat 55'minutes8GarcíaBooked at 58minsSubstituted forVukcevicat 69'minutes22Melero9Martí21Gómez AlcónSubstituted forMoralesat 55'minutes

Substitutes

2Hidalgo3Franquesa4Suárez Pier6Duarte7Blesa11Morales17Vukcevic23Andújar Moreno25Martínez29Cantero37Cuñat

Referee:Isidro Díaz de Mera EscuderosAttendance:35,334Match StatsHome TeamBarcelonaAway TeamLevantePossessionHome70%Away30%ShotsHome20Away6Shots on TargetHome12Away2CornersHome11Away1FoulsHome11Away16Live TextPost update

Match ends, Barcelona 3, Levante 0.

90'+4'Full Time

Second Half ends, Barcelona 3, Levante 0.

90'+3'Post update

Attempt missed. Alejandro Cantero (Levante) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Pablo Martínez.

90'+3'Post update

Attempt missed. Roger Martí (Levante) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Gonzalo Melero.

90'+3'Post update

Attempt saved. Alejandro Cantero (Levante) right footed shot from long range on the left is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Pablo Martínez.

90'+2'Post update

Attempt blocked. Riqui Puig (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ansu Fati.

90'+1'goalGoal!

Goal! Barcelona 3, Levante 0. Ansu Fati (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner.

90'Post update

Memphis Depay (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the left wing.

90'Post update

Foul by José Luis Morales (Levante).

90'Post update

Memphis Depay (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the left wing.

90'Post update

Foul by Nikola Vukcevic (Levante).

89'Substitution

Substitution, Barcelona. Clément Lenglet replaces Sergiño Dest.

89'Post update

Ansu Fati (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the left wing.

89'Post update

Foul by José Luis Morales (Levante).

88'Post update

Memphis Depay (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right wing.

88'Post update

Foul by Rober Pier (Levante).

86'Booking

Carlos Clerc (Levante) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

86'Post update

Yusuf Demir (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right wing.

86'Post update

Foul by Carlos Clerc (Levante).

84'Post update

Attempt blocked. Ansu Fati (Barcelona) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Nico González.

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Source: bbc.com