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Copa del Rey: Levante cause huge upset by beating Barcelona 2-1

By Chiranjib Ghosh

VALENCIA, SPAIN - JANUARY 10: Borja Mayoral of Levante UD celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the Copa del Rey Round of 16 first leg match between Levante UD and FC Barcelona at Ciutat de Valencia on January 10, 2019 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images)
VALENCIA, SPAIN - JANUARY 10: Borja Mayoral of Levante UD celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the Copa del Rey Round of 16 first leg match between Levante UD and FC Barcelona at Ciutat de Valencia on January 10, 2019 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images) /
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Barcelona suffered a 2-1 defeat away to Levante in the first leg

Barcelona travelled to Levante without key players Luis Suárez, Ivan Rakitić, Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba, and were punished for it. Ernesto Valverde’s side played catch-up to the Granotas from the get-go, with the forward line failing miserably without a proper centre-forward.

Barça had one of the first opportunities to open the scoring, with Nélson Semedo’s pass into the box getting deflected. But the outstretched Malcom couldn’t reach the ball to turn it in. Levante responded by breaking the deadlock in the 4th minute itself.

Off a set-piece, La Masia graduate Rubén Rochina whipped in a cross into a Barça box swarming with Levante players and found the head of the unmarked Erick Cabaco, who guided it past a hapless Jasper Cillessen.

The side could easily have conceded another goal. Former Sevilla captain Coke got past Chumi with ease, and put a very dangerous ball into the box. A touch from Emmanuel Boateng could have turned it in, but debutant Jeison Murillo got a foot in and Cillessen turned it aside.

But Boateng was involved in Levante’s second goal in the 18th minute. He played a magnificent ball through to Borja Mayoral, whose scruffy finish trickled into the bottom left corner past Cillessen.

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Through his assist, the 22-year old Ghanaian central forward kept his momentum against Barça going. Last season, Levante had broken Barcelona’s unbeaten run with a 5-4 victory in the La Liga in the penultimate game of the season. Boateng had scored a hat-trick in that match.

Barça were never really dominant, despite having 63% possession. Mayoral had another chance, but Cillessen kept it out. The side had to resort to rash tackles to prevent Levante from creating opportunities, and did not get a corner in the entire match.

But fortunately, Philippe Coutinho was able to pull one back in the 85th minute with a penalty, after Denis Suárez had been brought down in the box by Coke. This has given the team an away goal to work with for the home leg at the Camp Nou.

In a largely disappointing display, Carles Aleñá and Jasper Cillessen stood out as the best performers. The Dutch ‘keeper, especially, was brilliant. But Ousmane Dembélé, Malcom and Arturo Vidal produced some very underwhelming performances.

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Also, Jeison Murillo suffered a poor debut, failing to contain the Levante defence. Despite the loss, Barcelona still have the upper hand in the second leg, with the away goal. But the players need to step it up in order for the team to progress to the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey.

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