We lost count of the number of times that FC Barcelona battled back from behind to win games last season, and in 2025/26, the same thing is happening!
They may not have deserved to be in that situation, but the Liga champions were trailing 2-0 at newly promoted Levante this Saturday, and yet they managed to turn things around in the second, firing in two quick goals almost immediately after the restart and then clinching three crucial points courtesy of an own goal right at the end of a fascinating night of football at the Ciutat de Valencia.
Two wins, six goals, and all on the road. A very fine way indeed to start what is already promising to be a very memorable season indeed for the boys in blaugrana.
Two goals down
Barça had already been issued a warning when a clearly offside José Luis Morales found the net after eight minutes, and on the quarter hour mark the home side did it again, and this time it counted.
New signing Jeremy Toljan collected a cross at the far post and laid it back for Ivan Romero to fire past Joan García.
Levante were playing fine football, but Barça were by no means under-performing. Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Balde both had fine chances before conceding, while Lamine Yamal, Pedri and others came close to scoring after, and Ferran Torres even rattled one off the crossbar. But frustratingly, the only other goal of the first half also came at the wrong end.
A Balde handball on the brink of the half-time whistle was checked by VAR and deemed serious enough to warrant a penalty.
Change of dynamic
Morales converted and a furious Hansi Flick ushered his players into the dressing room. Together, they were going to need to find a solution to this.
Whatever the German said during the break, it worked. Just five minutes into the second half and Barça were back level!
On 49 minutes, and following a set play from a corner, Pedri delivered an absolute rocket from outside the area, and the home side were still licking their wounds when their suffering doubled.
This one came from a corner too. Raphinha whipped the ball straight into the area and there was Ferran waiting to meet it and smash Barça back level.
Own goal clincher
But much as the momentum was now very much going the blaugrana way, the all important third goal took a lot longer to find.
Levante were holding on strong at the back, and although Barça were getting chances, they weren’t exactly flowing with ease. Raphinha had the best, but Pablo Campos produced a brilliant save, and with 90 minutes up it was starting to look like Barça were going to have to settle for a draw.
Settle for a draw? Barça? Unthinkable… there was still time and the belief paid off.
Lamine (who else?) initiated the move, and although Unai Elgezabal did his best to intercept his dangerous cross, all he did was deflect the ball into his own net. We had to wait until the 91st minute for it to happen, but Barça had done it!
It may have been agonising for the home side who had put up an admirable fight all the way, but it was sheer bliss for FC Barcelona fans worldwide, who can now start making plans for game three, also away from home. That’s at Rayo Vallecano next Sunday at 9.30pm CEST.