Barcelona player ratings: Yamal and Adeyemi shine in Levante win

Barcelona maintained their perfect start to the season with a 4-2 victory over Levante on Sunday, although the final scoreline did not fully reflect how difficult the match became.

Hansi Flick's side appeared to be in complete control after building a 3-0 advantage, but Levante scored twice late on and threatened to turn the contest into a dramatic finish.

Karim Adeyemi eventually settled Barcelona's nerves with a superb solo goal, while Lamine Yamal and Raphinha were among the team's best performers.

Here is how the Barcelona players rated.

Joan Garcia - 8

Joan Garcia produced several excellent saves and showed good ability as a sweeper goalkeeper.

He could potentially have done better for Levante's second goal and was also fortunate after a poor kick struck Rodri and almost created another dangerous situation.

Xavi Espart - 7

Espart's performance would have been closer to a 9 but for his final contribution to the match.

He scored his first goal for Barcelona and was otherwise assured, including making more than one superb last-ditch tackle. However, a badly misplaced back pass late on gifted Levante an opportunity through Ivan Romero.

Gerard Martin - 6

Gerard Martin had an average outing.

He helped Barcelona keep a clean sheet while he remained on the pitch, although his direct defensive contribution was limited. There were no major mistakes, but he never became a standout performer.

Pau Cubarsi - 9

Cubarsi was one of Barcelona's strongest performers.

He delivered a highly composed defensive display and combined with Andreas Christensen for an outstanding goal-line save around the hour mark.

Neither of Levante's goals could be directly blamed on him, although there was an argument that he could have done slightly better for their second.

Eric Garcia - 7

Eric Garcia was solid defensively but offered little going forward.

He made several useful interventions to stop promising Levante attacks and generally did his defensive work effectively.

Pedri - 4

It was a difficult afternoon for Pedri.

The Barcelona midfielder gave the ball away repeatedly, including once inside his own box before Espart rescued the situation on the line. He struggled to dribble away from pressure, missed the correct pass on several occasions and failed to provide his usual control.

His substitution was one of the rare occasions when Barcelona appeared to improve after taking him off.

Rodri - 5

Rodri also struggled to impose himself in midfield.

He offered little control and gave possession away too often, allowing Levante to put pressure on Barcelona's midfield and defence.

Anthony Gordon - 7

Gordon brought plenty of energy but lacked the end product to match his effort.

He pressed high, found useful positions and helped create opportunities, although he was either let down by teammates or failed to select the right option when under pressure.

Fermin Lopez - 7

Lopez was largely anonymous during the opening half.

He improved around the hour mark and brought much-needed energy after Gordon's departure. His movement helped Barcelona keep the ball moving and prevented Levante's defence from becoming completely comfortable.

Lamine Yamal - 9.5

Yamal was Barcelona's outstanding player.

He worked tirelessly, scored a clever poacher's goal and converted a brilliantly taken penalty. Barcelona's performance dropped noticeably after he left the pitch, underlining his influence on the game.

Raphinha - 9

Raphinha was excellent during the opening hour.

He created both of Barcelona's early goals for Espart and Yamal, consistently made the right decisions and worked relentlessly.

His influence understandably faded as the match progressed and his intensity levels dropped, but his first-hour display was exceptional.

Andreas Christensen - 8

Christensen played an important role after coming on at half-time for the injured and booked Gerard Martin.

He combined with Cubarsi for the excellent goal-line defensive effort around the hour mark. His experience and composure also provided Barcelona with greater stability, with occasional flashes reminiscent of Inigo Martinez.

Dani Olmo - 6

Olmo struggled to influence the game in the final third.

He made one or two poor decisions and did not have a major impact apart from helping distract defenders away from the action during Barcelona's fourth goal.

Karim Adeyemi - 9

Adeyemi's pace and direct running proved particularly dangerous against tired Levante defenders.

His late solo goal was the highlight of his performance, and he almost single-handedly kept Barcelona's attack moving during the final quarter-hour.

Marc Bernal - 7

Bernal was beaten too easily for Levante's second goal but otherwise delivered a solid performance.

He provided slightly more midfield possession than Pedri had managed on the day and won several fouls that helped disrupt Levante's momentum.

Joao Cancelo - 8

Cancelo produced an unusually composed performance.

His contribution helped Barcelona manage the closing stages of a match that had become far more difficult than it initially appeared.

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