Barcelona ease to victory on Dembele's return

The hosts went into the game looking to keep their title charge on track after the lengthy winter break and managed to do just that as they swept their opponents aside.

Pre-match, all the talk was about the returning Ousmane Dembele, but the visitors threatened to play the role of party poopers early on as they came racing out of the blocks. Emmanuel Boateng looked a handful early doors, running the channels and forcing Javier Mascherano into a couple of early interventions.

However, after the early threat subsided, Barca took control.

The hosts were unlucky not to take the lead when Lionel Messi’s free kick from the left managed to evade everyone, despite needing just the faintest of touches, but they weren’t made to wait long for a breakthrough as Messi struck with just 12 minutes gone.

The Argentine exchanged passes with Jordi Alba before firing home on the volley from the edge of the box.

Luis Suarez had a chance to double the lead immediately from the restart, only to be denied by Oier in the Levante goal.

Cheick Doukoure wasted a good chance for the visitors when his scuffed an effort well wide from the edge of the box after excellent work from Boateng down the right.

Forays forward form the visitors were becoming few and far between as Barca dominated possession for long periods.

Dembele saw a low effort from range well saved, with Suarez blazing the rebound over, before Messi fizzed a free kick narrowly wide.

Barca did get the all-important second goal before half time though, as Suarez rifled into the top corner after meeting Sergi Roberto’s first-time centre.

Messi and Ivan Rakitic tried their luck before the whistle went for the break but the hosts were made to do with a two-goal lead at the half.

 - A drab second half - 

As in the first half, Levante started the second period on the front foot, forcing several early corners and seeing a powerful Ivy effort from range well kept out by Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.

Just like it had done 45 minutes previously, that threat soon faded and Barca took control once again, without really creating a gilt-edged chance of note.

Dembele fired over from range before an inviting ball from Sergi Roberto fizzed across the Levante six-yard box and to safety.

Barca were given a reminder of the threat posed by Levante with 25 minutes to play as the visitors countered. Jason found Shaq Moore all alone down the right but his first-time effort from 12 yards was brilliantly kept out by Ter Stegen with his feet.

Oier was called into action shortly afterwards to keep out a fierce Suarez strike after he latched onto Mascherano's long ball over the top as Barca cruised to victory.

The expected late onslaught from Levante never came and Barca were able to make it three late on as a vintage Messi moment saw him spin on the edge of the box and leave a trail of defenders in his wake before squaring for Paulinho to tap home from close range.

It was a confident performance from Barce, though boss Ernesto Valverde will have been concerned to see Jordi Alba struggling with a knock to the knee late on.