Soccer

Lacklustre Barcelona regain three-point lead at top of table

Luis Suarez scores 36th goal of the season against Levante

Barcelona’s Luis Suarez celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the La Liga match against Levante at Ciutat de Valencia. Photograph: Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images
Barcelona’s Luis Suarez celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the La Liga match against Levante at Ciutat de Valencia. Photograph: Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images
Sun Feb 07 2016 - 15:08

Levante 0 Barcelona 2

Luis Suarez scored his 36th goal of the season Barcelona won at Levante in a lunchtime kick-off to regain their three-point lead over Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga.

Bottom team Levante might have snatched at least a deserved point with better finishing against Barca, in lackadaisical mood after their 7-0 demolition of Valencia in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.

Levante central defender David Navarro gave Barca a fortunate lead in the 21st minute when he turned an Andres Iniesta cross meant for Lionel Messi into his own net.

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The visitors had to wait until the second minute of added time to make the result safe when Suarez finished off a fast counter-attack with his 20th Liga goal as Levante tried to snatch an equaliser and were caught off guard.

Barcelona, with a game in hand, have 54 points to Atletico’s 51 after a 3-1 win over Eibar on Saturday. Real Madrid, third with 47, visit Granada later on Sunday.

Barca might have been a goal up after two minutes when Messi had the ball in the net from Iniesta’s pass into the box but it was overruled for offside – a harsh decision as television replays showed.

Levante had a chance when winger Jose Luis Morales raced down the left into the box to hit a low shot that came back off the far post with Claudio Bravo beaten.