Lionel Messi scored the only goal as Barcelona returned to winning ways with victory over struggling Levante.
Martin Braithwaite, Clement Lenglet, Jordi Alba and Antoine Griezmann all had chances but found keeper Aitor Fernandez in inspired form.
But there was little Fernandez could do when Messi struck from an angle after Frenkie de Jong’s assist.
Levante’s best chance fell to Jorge de Frutos, while Marc-Andre ter Stegen denied substitute Son right at the end.
Barca’s fifth league win lifts them two places up the La Liga table to eighth before Wednesday’s home match with leaders Real Sociedad (20:00 GMT).
Messi’s finish was greeted with relief by his team-mates after a bad week for Ronald Koeman’s side.
They followed up a surprise defeat at Cadiz last weekend with a 3-0 home setback to Juventus in the Champions League.
That defeat to Juve means Barcelona will be unseeded when the draw for the last 16 of the Champions League is made on Monday.
On Sunday, Levante were on course for a point after Fernandez made a string of fine stops.
He did well to push Griezmann’s header away before Lenglet blazed a great chance over the bar.
Messi struck for the eighth time this season, to leave Levante 18th in the table, two points from safety.
Line-ups
Barcelona
- 1ter Stegen
- 2Dest
- 4Araujo
- 15Lenglet
- 18Alba
- 5BusquetsSubstituted forGonzálezat 58′minutes
- 21de JongBooked at 49mins
- 7GriezmannSubstituted forUmtitiat 89′minutes
- 14CoutinhoSubstituted forMachado Trincãoat 70′minutes
- 9BraithwaiteBooked at 87mins
- 10Messi
Substitutes
- 6Aleñá
- 8Pjanic
- 12Puig
- 13Murara Neto
- 16González
- 17Machado Trincão
- 19Fernandes Siqueira
- 23Umtiti
- 24Firpo
- 26Peña
- 28Mingueza
- 29De la Fuente
Levante
- 13Fernández
- 23Andújar MorenoSubstituted forMiramónat 68′minutes
- 15Postigo
- 14Nunes Vezo
- 19Clerc
- 18de FrutosSubstituted forHidalgoat 82′minutes
- 17VukcevicBooked at 42minsSubstituted forRadojaat 68′minutes
- 12Malsa
- 22MeleroSubstituted forLeónat 82′minutes
- 21Gómez Alcón
- 9MartíSubstituted forMoralesat 68′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Ruiz Ojeda
- 2Hidalgo
- 3García Aranda
- 4Suárez Pier
- 5Radoja
- 6Duarte
- 7León
- 11Morales
- 16Rochina
- 20Miramón
- 34Cárdenas
- Referee:
- Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea
Live Text
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Match ends, Barcelona 1, Levante 0.
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Second Half ends, Barcelona 1, Levante 0.
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Attempt saved. Son (Levante) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
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Corner, Levante. Conceded by Samuel Umtiti.
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Corner, Levante. Conceded by Samuel Umtiti.
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Attempt blocked. José Luis Morales (Levante) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Son.
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Offside, Barcelona. Sergiño Dest tries a through ball, but Trincão is caught offside.
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Substitution, Barcelona. Samuel Umtiti replaces Antoine Griezmann.
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Martin Braithwaite (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Martin Braithwaite (Barcelona).
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Jorge Miramón (Levante) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Clément Lenglet (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Dani Gómez (Levante).
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Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Levante. Son replaces Jorge de Frutos.
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Substitution, Levante. Sergio León replaces Gonzalo Melero.
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Hand ball by Martin Braithwaite (Barcelona).
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Attempt saved. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Martin Braithwaite.
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Jordi Alba (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
