Barcelona kept their perfect start to La Liga intact with a fifth straight win, beating Levante 4-2 in the fifth round. The Catalans controlled long spells before dropping off sharply in the closing minutes, handing the hosts a way back into the game.
Flick's side went into the match looking to reclaim top spot with a three-point lead over Real Madrid, just hours after Los Blancos had beaten Rayo Vallecano. The German coach named his usual 4-3-3, with Gordon, Raphinha and Lamine Yamal up front and Rodri starting in midfield.
Xavi Espart opened the scoring. He picked up the ball on the edge of the box, advanced, then lashed a well-placed low shot into the net from a tight angle in the fifth minute to hand Barcelona an early lead.
From there the visitors imposed their usual style, keeping possession and shifting the ball constantly, with quality showing across every line. Levante tried to respond through Ratkov and Brugué in the 16th minute, but Barcelona's defence stood firm and dealt with both without letting the game turn.
Raphinha and Lamine Yamal kept probing. The Brazilian proved decisive once more, pouncing on a poor clearance from Mandi, controlling brilliantly and clipping a precise cross to his young team-mate.
Yamal, in the perfect position in front of goal, never hesitated. He steered the ball into the empty net to make it 2-0 in the 19th minute and confirm just how superior the Catalans were.
Little changed after the second goal. Barcelona kept the run of play under control and held their edge as Levante managed only a handful of attempts, and the visitors went in at the break with a comfortable and deserved lead.
Early goal
Flick shuffled his pack at the interval, sending on Christensen for Martín, but the shape held. Barcelona kept pressing and dominating while Levante struggled to break out in any organised fashion.
The 48th minute brought a penalty. Mandi handled following another surge from Lamine Yamal, and the Spaniard took the kick himself, coolly slotting home a third to ease his side further clear.
Barcelona kept creating after that. Raphinha almost added another in the 55th minute, latching onto a Gordon pass and firing towards goal, only to see it drift just wide of the post.
As the game entered its final half-hour, Levante grew bolder. Chances came to cut the gap, but neither Bardhi nor Romero could convert in the 61st minute, and Barcelona stayed three goals up.
Flick's changes turn the shape of the match
Looking to freshen his ranks, Flick threw on Dani Olmo, Adama and Bernal for Lamine Yamal, Gordon and Pedri. The switches clearly disrupted the cohesion and control that had defined Barcelona for most of the afternoon.
The Catalans began to lose their grip. Levante found more space, and in the 79th minute they punished a glaring error from Xavi Espart, Romero pulling one back to make it 1-3.
Levante kept coming. They found their second in the 88th minute when Brugué caused chaos inside the Barcelona box, making it 3-2 and leaving the visitors sweating through a tense finish.
With Levante chasing the comeback, Barcelona landed the decisive blow in stoppage time. Adama set off on a fine solo run, beat his markers and rifled a powerful right-foot shot into the near post for a fourth in the 90+3 minute.
The big win and the flawless record could not hide a worrying side to the closing minutes. A drop in focus and defensive shape let Levante score twice and pour drama back into a game that had looked settled for long spells, until Adama's strike restored calm and secured the three points.