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.
77 min: Barcelona 1-0 Levante
That should be the game settled right there!
Pique of all people wins the ball deep in Levante territory, before playing a one-two and then finding Vidal in all sorts of space.
But the Chilean blazes over when he ought to have hit the target.
There's also a yellow card for Semedo after a challenge on Rochina.
80 min: Barcelona 1-0 Levante
Aitor Fernandez has been exceptional tonight, and his latest save sees him get down brilliantly low to his left to keep out a stinging Messi drive.
84 min: Barcelona 1-0 Levante
That's a poor decision from Dembele.
Messi goes on another one of his lung-busting runs and lays it on a plate for the Frenchman, but instead of shooting he tries to play it back to the Argentine, and Levante clear.
That turns out to be Dembele's last act as he is replaced by Sergi Roberto.
86 min: Barcelona 1-0 Levante
Messi threatens to add his second of the game to make sure of the points, but his effort is deflected just wide with Fernandez scrambling.
Lots of noise in the Camp Nou as Barca remain just four minutes away from another title.
88 min: Barcelona 1-0 Levante
Levante have to go for broke here and after a couple of dangerous crosses from the visitors Barca break in a move which ends with Suarez seeing his effort deflected over the bar for a corner.
89 min: Barcelona 1-0 Levante
How have Levante not equalised!
A cross from the left is struck on the volley via a Coke deflection against the post and a relieved Marc Andre ter Stegen is happy to collect.
Huge left off with a minute remaining.
90+2 min: Barcelona 1-0 Levante
The hosts looked so ragged and have conceded possession which Levante have wasted.
Sergio Busquets, captain cool, has even been booked.
Full Time: Barcelona 1-0 Levante
They have done it! Barcelona have retained their La Liga crown, but boy did they make their fans sweat for it.
Lionel Messi was needed to come off the bench and score what turned to out to be the winner.
But Barcelona were troubled defensively by Levante and could have conceded a couple of their own, and had the post to thank to stop a last-minute volley finding the net.
Those scenes are welcome ones for Liverpool ahead of Wednesday night, but tonight belongs to Barcelona as they win yet another title.
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