Barcelona player ratings vs Levante: Joao Cancelo rolls back the years while Frenkie de Jong grabs rare goal as Blaugrana bounce back to return to La Liga summit

Barcelona returned to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over Levante on Sunday that moved them back to the summit of La Liga as they took advantage of Real Madrid's defeat to Osasuna 24 hours earlier. First-half goals from midfield duo Marc Bernal and Frenkie de Jong put the hosts in control before Fermin Lopez scored a stunner on a day when Joao Cancelo was the real star of the show.

Barca were quick to get going as Jules Kounde volleyed a teasing Cancelo cross over the bar before Bernal broke the deadlock in the fourth minute when he was found on the edge of the six-yard box by Eric Garcia following a corner.

Levante almost gifted Barca a second when they gave away possession on the edge of their own penalty area, but Maty Ryan stood up to deny Raphinha before Robert Lewandowski sent the rebound over the bar with the goal gaping. The visitors did look to cause problems with balls over the top, however, and Joan Garcia had to be quick off his line to keep Jon Olasagasti from poking home an equaliser.

Cancelo continued to cause problems down the Barca left, and soon after he had hit the post with a teasing cross that evaded everyone inside the penalty area, his low ball into the box was turned home by De Jong to put the Blaugrana into a comfortable lead.

Barcelona continued to dominate, though it was left to Fermin to make the points safe with a 25-yard rasper that flew in off the post, confirming Barca's place back on top of La Liga, one point ahead of their great rivals Madrid. The substitute might wonder how he didn't grab a second, though, as he was denied by Ryan from point-blank range after the Levante 'keeper had kept out Raphinha's header.

GOAL rates Barca's players from Camp Nou...

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Goalkeeper & Defence
Joan Garcia (7/10):
Didn't have much to do but was on his toes to keep Olasagasti from equalising.
Jules Kounde (6/10):
Missed a good early chance but continued to get forward and combine well with Yamal. Put in a couple of testing crosses that Ryan had to deal with.
Eric Garcia (7/10):
Showed good composure to lay on Bernal's goal and marshalled the Barca backline well thereafter.
Gerard Martin (5/10):
Didn't look as comfortable playing in a central defensive role. Caught out on a couple of occasions and picked up a booking that earns him a suspension.
Joao Cancelo (9/10):
Outstanding. Set his stall out when setting up Kounde's chance before playing his part in Bernal's goal. Caused so many problems down the left, hit the post with a teasing cross and laid on De Jong's goal. Exactly what Barca wanted when they signed him in January.

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Midfield
Frenkie de Jong (8/10):
Capped a fine midfield performance with a superb late run into the box to latch onto Cancelo's cross and score his first league goal of the season.
Marc Bernal (7/10):
Opened the scoring with a close-range finish and put in a physical and composed display in midfield. Booked before going off midway through the second half.
Dani Olmo (5/10):
Kept Barca ticking over but unable to provide any real quality in the final third.
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Attack
Lamine Yamal (6/10):
Toyed with the Levante defence at times, but for once his final ball or shot wasn't of the level required.
Robert Lewandowski (4/10):
Seems to have lost all confidence in front of goal. Missed a great chance to make it 2-0 and his other efforts were weak. Disappointed to be substituted in the second half.
Raphinha (7/10):
Caused plenty of problems while taking advantage of Cancelo's runs to pick up pockets of space. Denied a goal by Ryan in both halves.

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Subs & Manager
Ferran Torres (5/10):
Replaced Lewandowski but headed his only real chance straight at Ryan.
Pedri (6/10):
Delighted the home faithful by returning from injury and sprayed some eye-catching passes around midfield.
Fermin Lopez (7/10):
Will have been disappointed to have been left out but responded perfectly with a superb long-range goal. Will wonder how he didn't score a second when Ryan denied him from close range.
Ronald Araujo (N/A):
On for the final three minutes.
Roony Bardghji (N/A):
Gave Yamal the final minutes off.
Hansi Flick (7/10):
Taking down the team sat second-bottom of the league is nothing to write home about, but picked his team up after back-to-back defeats and got the job done.

Goalkeeper & Defence

Midfield

Attack

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Subs & Manager