Jul 18, 2022; Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA; FC Barcelona midfielder Pedri (8) runs after the ball during an open training session before a friendly match against Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

FC Barcelona’s First Remontada Of The Season

Originally posted on Stadium Rant | By Stefania Zajdel | Last updated Aug 25, 2025 8:47 AM ET

In just their second game of the 2025/26 La Liga season, FC Barcelona did what they do best and dug a way out of a seemingly hopeless situation. After a terrible first half against Levante, they managed a comeback that earned them the well-deserved win and the coveted three points. Why, though, did they have to dig their way out of trouble in the first place?

First Half To Forget

Barcelona started the game at full force, already searching for the best possible chances for scoring the opening goal. Levante didn’t get left behind. They also saw a few opportunities and even managed to put the ball in Joan Garcia’s net, but all of their best attacks were offside. That was until the 15th minute, in which Ivan Romero scored the team’s first ‘legal’ goal. Despite what most fans had expected, not even a quarter through the game, the Catalan team was already losing.

Barcelona spent the rest of the first half chasing the score, but all their efforts were in vain. They were unable to get past Levante’s defense. The second punch for the team came right before the whistle that would send them to the changing rooms. Lamine Yamal was fouled right by Levante’s penalty box, giving Barcelona a great chance to turn their evening around. Unfortunately, nothing came from the chance, and the opposing team quickly countered their efforts. They didn’t manage to put the ball in Garcia’s net, but that didn’t mean that the action was over.

It was soon revealed that Alejandro Balde, in his efforts to stop Levante’s strikers, touched the ball with his arm. He did so while trying to press it to his body in order not to gain an advantage, but it wasn’t enough to protect him from the consequences. After a VAR check, hi s move was deemed a handball, and a penalty was awarded to Levante. Jose Luis Morales converted it into the team’s second goal of the day.

Settling The Score

Barcelona had a lot of work to do as they gathered for the second half. Thankfully, for all the fans, they got to it almost immediately. In just the 49th minute, Pedri scored a beautiful contact goal from outside the penalty box. Three minutes later, Ferran Torres used a corner to equalize the score.

At that point, the teams chose drastically different strategies. While Levante, who would be happy with the draw, focused on defense, Barcelona put their all into offense. The Catalan team pressed hard, never letting the game get too far away from their rival’s net. Despite their best efforts, they weren’t able to score the third goal that they needed if they wanted to keep the La Liga lead.

The turning point came right after the seven minutes of added time began. It was then that Yamal shot into Levante’s penalty box, hoping that Raphinha or Robert Lewandowski would get to the ball and convert it into a goal. While neither of them managed to touch it, the same couldn’t be said about Unai Elgezabal, who scored an accidental own-goal. His tragic moment was also Barcelona’s celebration. Just like that, the remontada was completed.

Why Does Barcelona Love Chasing The Score?

Jul 30, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; Barcelona midfielder Marc Bernal (16) and forward Lamine Yamal (27) celebrate after beating Manchester City on penalty kicks in a tie breaker during a Champions Tour friendly match at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Throughout the 2024/25 season, Barcelona was known for starting the games in a somewhat disappointing way, only to power through the second half. An example of their famous remontadas was the second game against S.L. Benfica, in which they turned a 3:1 into a 4:5. Another game in which they had to dig their way out from a bad start was the fourth El Clásico of the season, the game which ended up winning them the La Liga title. Despite Real Madrid’s two early goals, the Catalan team ended up winning 4:3.

Such a way of playing provides a lot of excitement, but even more stress for the viewers. It is a great story once the Culers know the final score, but as the game is in progress, their heartbeats exceed 100 beats per minute. That is why many fans hoped that this season, Barcelona would settle on a more stable style of play. While there are still many games to play, the game against Levante suggests that it’s a very unlikely scenario.

End Of My Barcelona Rant

The victory over Levante secured Barcelona’s place at the top of the La Liga leaderboard, although with only two games under their belt, the position isn’t too binding. If the match is anything to go off of, the fans are about to see a very exciting season from the Catalan pride. Could this be the year their famous remontadas lead to them winning not only La Liga, but also the Champions League?

This article first appeared on Stadium Rant and was syndicated with permission.

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