Barcelona vs Levante result: Lionel Messi helps Barca wrap up title with three matches to spare
Relive the action as Barcelona win another league title
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Your support makes all the difference.Lionel Messi scored to help Barcelona clinch the Spanish league title after beating Levante 1-0 at Camp Nou on Saturday, cementing Barca’s status as the dominant club in Spain for more than a decade.
Introduced at half-time, Messi finally broke the deadlock when his shot beat Levante goalkeeper Aitor Fernandez in the 62nd minute to start the celebrations at the Camp Nou.
Messi's league-leading 34th goal was his 46th in all competitions this season.
Barcelona's win puts the club nine points ahead of second-placed Atletico Madrid with three matches left to play.
Atletico beat Valladolid 1-0 earlier, forcing Barcelona to need a victory to wrap up the title this weekend before the club turns its attention to its upcoming European clash with Liverpool.
Barcelona won their second straight league title since Ernesto Valverde took over at the start of last season. It was also their eighth Liga crown in 11 years, a period during which Real Madrid has won two and Atletico one. Barcelona has 26 league titles, second only to Madrid's 33.
Barcelona are trying to complete a rare sweep of all three major titles this season. They host Liverpool on Wednesday in the opening match of their Champions League semi-final, and can win a fifth consecutive Copa del Rey if they beats Valencia in the final on May 25. Relive the action below.
Relive the action above.
55 min: Barcelona 0-0 Levante
This is relentless from Barcelona in terms of pressure, Levante's focus on Messi having given space to others.
One of those is Jordi Alba, whose cross is nearly converted by Suarez at the near post.
Over in Italy, Cristiano Ronaldo has just scored his 600th career club goal for Juventus, so expect Messi to respond with something soon.....
57 min: Barcelona 0-0 Levante
The first yellow card for a Levante player this evening, as ex-Barcelona man Ruben Rochina is booked for a late lunge on Rakitic.
The Croatian then nearly makes them pay, popping up on the edge of the box before whipping his curling effort just wide of the far post.
What a superb effort from the Croatian!
60 min: Barcelona 0-0 Levante
Dembele tries to show the Croatian how it is done with a curler of his own from Messi's pass, but taking it first time, the Frenchman makes a hash of it and this one doesn't trouble Fernandez.
A few nervous whistles coming from the Barca crowd now.
GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 Levante (Messi 62')
Who else eh?
The chance looks to have petered out after Suarez's shot was blocked, but Vidal regains possession on the edge of the box and finds Messi.
The Argentine takes a touch to shift it onto his left, before firing an effort which Fernandez gets a hand to but cannot keep out of the far corner.
64 min: Barcelona 1-0 Levante
Ter Stegen!
Levante nearly respond emphatically as Morales plays Mayoral through, but the German comes out quickly and blocks the Real Madrid loanee's effort.
66 min: Barcelona 1-0 Levante
Messi now looks to provide an assist for the onrushing Vidal, but the Chilean's shot is well parried by Fernandez.
Vukcevic has also been replaced by Bardhi for the visitors.
69 min: Barcelona 1-0 Levante
CHANCE!
Barcelona are panicking here you know and they should have been pegged back.
The substitute Morales races through and only has ter Stegen to beat, but he spoons his effort over.
Huge left off at a tense Camp Nou.
71 min: Barcelona 1-0 Levante
Now Gerard Pique goes into the book, leading with his forearm and fouling Mayoral.
The foul leads to a second free-kick in as many minutes, but both set pieces hit the wall.
Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp will be licking their lips at this.
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