Five-goal Barça brush aside Levante

Barça will face Real with spirits up Barcelona responded to Real Madrid's win at Sporting Gijon earlier today by hitting Levante for five at the Nou Camp. With Real having taken control of the title race over recent weeks, Barça kicked off this encounter six points behind their bitter rivals. But, with El Clasico on the horizon next weekend, they put on a show that suggested they are ready to fight to retain their title.
Cesc Fabregas got them going with a first-half brace, while Isaac Cuenca, Lionel Messi and Alexis Sanchez also found the net.
Having watched on as Real Madrid notched up another routine win earlier in the day, Pep Guardiola's men knew a strong start was needed if they were to get the better of a Levante side still riding high after a surprise start to the season.
They got it too, taking the lead with just four minutes gone. Andres Iniesta played a short ball into the feet of Fabregas and, after advancing a pace to the edge of the box, he drilled a precise right-footed shot beyond the reach of Gustavo Munua and into the bottom corner.
Iniesta and Messi both took aim in a bid to extend the lead, with the latter forcing Munua into a smart save, before Fabregas made it two with 33 minutes gone. This time he did the damage with his head, rising highest to glance a Xavi free-kick over Munua.
Two quickly became three, with rising star Cuenca doing the damage eight minutes before the half-time whistle. Having impressed so much in the 4-0 win over Rayo Vallecano in midweek, the 20-year-old added further momentum to his growing reputation by curling in after Messi and Iniesta had fashioned an overlap for him.
Any fanciful hopes Levante had of starting a comeback were ended within ten minutes of the restart. Dani Alves ran at their defence and, after his slide-rule pass found Messi, the Argentinian did the rest with a neat finish from eight yards that brought him his 27th goal of the season.
Sanchez then made it five, although his 61st-minute strike did carry a touch of fortune. Messi worked an opening for him on the left of the area and his chipped effort clipped the head of Sergio Ballesteros and dipped over the reach of Munua.
Messi planted a simple chance wide from two yards with 12 minutes remaining and Pedro also fluffed his lines when presented with the chance of a sixth, while Iniesta had a sweet volley ruled out for offside but it mattered little.