It was the third time that Levante and FC Barcelona met this year, the last one a little over a month ago at the Johan Cruyff, where the Granota team became the first in history to score against the Blaugrana in the stadium built in 2019. Levante then put an end to 79 consecutive wins at the Johan and made up for the rout (7-0) that the Catalan team had given them in the Super Cup final at the beginning of the year. Today, in the Ciutat de València, Levante could not beat the leader and was beaten 0-5, with doubles from Bruna Vilamala and Salma Paralluelo and a goal from the young Martina Fernández.
Only four minutes were enough for Jonatan Giráldez’s team to take the lead on the scoreboard. A pass between the lines from Claudia Pina to Salma Paralluelo, the Aragonese woman crossed and the ball passed through the small area until Bruna Vilamala entered from behind to put the tip of her boot in and open the scoring. Levante responded with a quick counter between Alba Redondo and Gabi Nunes, but the Brazilian forward failed to connect the ball and there was no danger in the goal defended today by Sandra Paños.
Giráldez opted for an eleven with many rotations, giving rest to key players such as Aitana Bonmatí or Keira Walsh, but even so he did not have great difficulties in dominating the match. Half an hour into the game, Alexia Putellas, starter against Levante, had a great chance to score the second, but a great Tarazona prevented the Blaugrana captain’s point-blank shot. Four minutes later, Salma Paralluelo would not forgive and made it 0-2 after a great pass from Vicky López, who played one of his best games in the Barça shirt. The Catalan team would still have time to put the local goalkeeper in trouble with a triple chance between Salma and Marta Torrejón that Tarazona would manage to deny with difficulty to ensure that Levante went to half-time without a harsher corrective.
But Levante’s hope would be short-lived against a Barça team that went all out in the second half. In just seven minutes Bruna and Salma Paralluelo scored their doubles to sentence the Granota team, unable to contain their powerful rival. The statistics after the hour of play were overwhelming: 1-21 in shots on goal. And Levante, suffering in defense, could do little to reach Sandra Paños’ goal with troops.
Barça eased off the accelerator a little, although Martina achieved the fifth in a set piece that was finished off by the young centre-back assisted by Marta Torrejón, to round off the win.
The Blaugrana head into the international break as the undisputed leaders of League F. Starting tomorrow, the Spanish internationals, including eight from Barça, will gather in Las Rozas to prepare for the next two games against Belgium and the Czech Republic. Two duels with which the qualifying phase for the Euro 2025 in Switzerland will begin.
