Spanish La Liga, Round 24: Real Madrid Cruise Past Levante, Barcelona Win In Dramatic Fashion

This was not easy for Barcelona and you can’t safely say they have escaped unscathed from their first mini-crsis, but they fought their way to three vital points as they maintain a five point gap between themselves and Real Madrid. David opened the scoring with a fine strike after good work from Xavi and Dani Alves and even though Iraola equalised from the spot after a clumsy tackle from Sergio Busquets, Lionel Messi made sure of the points with a lovely clipped finish from yet another Dani Alves assist.

Not the best performance we’ll ever see from a team regarded by many as the best in footballing history but spurred on by Iniesta and Messi, they proved tonight that they have substance to match their undoubted style. It was never going to be an easy match against Athletic Bilbao, a team who are a match for anyone on their day and who seem to have the secret formula to make life difficult for Barca, but with Fernando Llorente not quite able to impose himself on a makeshift centre-back pairing of Busquets and Pique, Athletic didn’t quite have enough to cause an upset in the Camp Nou.

It was beginning to look desparate for Barcelona. Messi had been denied a stonewall penalty when one of his dazzling runs set him free in the area, but the referee refused to point to the spot, even though Amoribietas badly timed tackle halted the Argentines progress. The Barca players went absolutely apoplectic, but the man in black was having none of it.

Attack after attack from Barcelona, but nothing was coming off. Until Dani Alves found space down the right on 77 minutes, firing over a low cross that Lionel Messi dinked into the net on the run. Clinical strike from Messi and about as invaluable as they come as the lead at the top is extended to five points if it stays like this. It had looked as if Barcelona were going to be frustrated to the end by battling Bilbao, but now the away side have it all to do as they push forward for another equaliser.

Oh dear Sergio Busquets. You can get away with lazy tackles in midfield, but you just cannot do that in your own area. With Abidal making a mess of things out wide, the Frenchman sold Busquets short with horrendous pass that set Fernando Llorente free in the Barca box. But in trying to retrieve the situation, Busquets lunged in on Llorentes ankle, getting absolutely nowhere near the ball. Lucky to still be on the pitch, only receiving a yellow for his troubles.

Now we are going to see exactly what this Barcelona side are made of. Worldbeaters when things are going well, let’s see how they respond to a bit of a crisis. Let’s not forget that a draw here would bring Real Madrid to within a win of their rivals. Three points in it and Barca still have to go to the Bernabeu. Interesting!

Real Madrid won’t get many easier rides than that this season. Dominant from start to finish, Real Madrid finished off Levante with two first half goals from Karim Benzema and Ricard Carvalho as the away side pretty much forgot to turn up. Benzemas opener was courtesy of a stunning run into the area, slicing his way through three or four Levante defenders, before sliding the ball across for Benzema to tap in.

Madrids second was also a tap in, as Ricardo Carvalho found himself completely unmraked, a metre out, after Cristiano Ronaldo had fired a free-kick across goal from the byline. As much as Real Madrid then dominated the match, they were ultimately unable to find a third, as they found the Levante keeper Munua in inspired form. It looked as if Real Madrid had given the scoreline a more realistic look in the final minute, when Adebayor slammed in , but Ronaldo had been flagged offside just before.

I never expected Levante to put up much of a fight here, and their task has just got even tougher, as Karim Benzema has slotted Real Madrid into a 6th minute lead at the Bernabeu. The French striker may have his name on the scoresheet, but this goal was all about Angel Di Maria who slalomed his way into the area, weaving one way and the other, before sliding a pinpoint cross with his right peg to the backpost where Benzema was lurking to tap in.

With 15 minutes gone this match is being dominated by the home side, and as yet there is little evidence Levante are going to cause another away day upset after their heroics against Villarreal in the Madrigal. Jose Mourinho has rung the changes in his starting XI, with Pepe (injury), Casillas (suspension), Xabi Alonso and Emmanuel Adebayor all making way for Albiol, Adán, Lass Diarra and Karim Benzema. Levante will surely want to test the young keeper Adán, making his first league start for ‘Los Merengues’, but they are yet to get anywhere near his goal. Felipe Caicedo is cutting an isolated figure upfront.