Barcelona’s 46-game unbeaten Liga F run ends with Levante defeat

Barcelona’s 46-game unbeaten streak in Liga F was ended by struggling Levante on Saturday as they lost 2-1 to suffer their first ever defeat at the Estadi Johan Cruyff.

María Alharilla opened the scoring in the 50th minute and Ivonne Chacón doubled Levante’s lead in stoppage time after they had withstood wave after wave of Barça attacks.

There was still time for Fridolina Rolfö to pull one back and for Ainhoa Bascuñán to be sent off for the visitors, but Barça could not rescue a point.

Levante, who are in the bottom two in Liga F, have become the first side to beat Barça in the league since Madrid CFF in May 2023 and the first to ever beat them at the Estadi Johan Cruyff, where they have played home games since 2019.

It’s the second time Pere Romeu’s side have lost this season in any competition. Their only other defeat came against Manchester City in the Champions League, although they recovered to progress to the quarterfinals as group winners.

Barça went unbeaten through 30 matches as they won the league last season and had won all 16 of their fixtures so far this term.

They will wonder how that did not become 17 wins after accumulating a remarkable 47 shots against Levante.

After dominating the first half, they fell behind early in the second period to Alharilla’s goal.

Romeu responded by bringing on Rolfö, Alexia Putellas, Ewa Pajor, Cláudia Pina and Mapi León.

However, an equaliser continued to elude them, with their luck clearly evading them when even Putellas missed an easy chance late on.

Chacón then appeared to seal the points for Levante on the counter attack, but Rolfö’s goal set up a late onslaught as the game passed 100 minutes and the away side were reduced to 10.

Levante held, though, on to move within two points of safety, while Barça remain eight points clear of Real Madrid having played a game more.