Barcelona travelled to Levante on Sunday looking to move three points clear at the top of the La Liga table.
The home side led inside 10 minutes through Loukas Vyntra, but a Gerard Pique header left the scores level at the interval.
Both teams had chances in the second period, but neither could make the breakthrough as Levante secured a point against the champions.
Read how it all unfolded in Sports Mole's minute-by-minute live commentary of the action below.
Evening all! Our penultimate live La Liga commentary of the evening comes from Valencia as Levante welcome Barcelona. The home side enter the match off the back of a 1-0 win over Malaga in the league last weekend, with that result leaving them in 10th spot in the table on 23 points.
Barcelona, meanwhile, drew 0-0 with title rivals Atletico Madrid last weekend. That result left them top of the table on goal difference, but they have been joined on 50 points by Real Madrid, who beat Real Betis yesterday. The Catalan outfit will be keen to move ahead before Atletico Madrid face Sevilla later this evening.
Levante must be sick of the sight of Barcelona. The Spanish champions have won each of the last five matches between the two sides, scoring 19 times in the process and conceding just once. Barcelona have won seven of their 10 league games on their travels this season, while Levante have won just three on their own patch.
TEAMS:
LEVANTE: Navas; Navarro, Juanfran, Karabelas, Vyntra; Lopez, Diop, Simao; El Zhar, Garcia, Ivanschitz
BARCELONA: Valdes; Montoya, Pique, Mascherano, Alba; Fabregas, Iniesta, Xavi; Pedro, Messi, Sanchez
So there we have it. Nabil El Zhar returns to the Levante XI this evening, while Ruben Garcia and Simao Junior are also selected. Barcelona are without the injured Neymar and Dani Alves, but Lionel Messi starts. Right, the away side get the action underway on this mild evening in Valencia.
Not a full house inside the stadium, but there is a strong atmosphere. Levante are going to need their supporters this evening that is for certain. You just get the feeling that the home side need to score first if they are to take something from this match. As expected, Barca have taken control of the early stages.
Levante call for a free kick just outside the Barcelona box as Pique appears to handle, but the referee is not interested, which is not welcomed by the home supporters. Not too much to report in terms of chances in the early stages, but Barcelona continue to dominate the ball.
Just a reminder that following this match we have action from Atletico Madrid and Sevilla - be sure to remain with us for that one. Neither side has really forced the issue in the opening six minutes, with Levante comfortable as it stands. It must be said that the pitch is in wonderful condition this evening.
Half-chance for Barcelona as Xavi delivers a dangerous cross into the Levante box, but Simao manages to make the clearance. That could easily have finished in the back of the net. Barca build from the back moments later, but the latest move breaks down when Fabregas runs into the challenge of Diop.
GOAL! Levante 1-0 Barcelona (Vyntra)
Wow! Levante lead inside 10 minutes here as Vyntra rises inside the box before directing a corner from El Zhar past Valdes. This stadium has erupted.
You would still have to fancy Barcelona from this position, but they are under serious pressure at the moment. A half-chance does arrive for the Catalan outfit as Montoya drills a low cross into the box towards Messi, but Navas is on hand to collect at the vital moment.
Good response from the away side as they force two corners in quick succession, but Juanfran and Vyntra take it in turns to clear the danger. Levante attempt to break down the other end moments later, but El Zhar cannot run away from Montoya at the final moment.
The referee has been more involved than he would have liked in the last couple of moments with a number of late challenges arriving from both sides. The latest from Alba on Garcia hands Levante a set play in a dangerous area. Ivanschitz delivers and it eventually falls to Diop, but his effort is high and wide of the crossbar.
Half-chance for Barcelona as Pedro finds some space inside the Levante box before curling one towards the bottom corner, but Navas is on hand to make the save. You just get the feeling that Levante need to score again if they are to take something from this match. Barcelona always score.
GOAL! Levante 1-1 Barcelona (Pique)
And there it is. Barcelona level after 19 minutes as Pique rises highest inside the box before directing a header into the bottom corner. Almost a carbon copy of the Levante opener.
You have to fear for Levante from this moment in the match. They started brightly and got their goal, but they needed to keep the Catalan side out until the interval. Now Barca are playing all their football in the home side's half, with Messi taking on a leading role.
Not too much to report in terms of chances in the last couple of moments, but Barcelona are in control of the ball. Just a reminder that Martino's side are currently level on 50 points with Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid. The former face Sevilla this evening, while the latter were 5-0 winners over Real Betis on Saturday. The title race is seriously gathering pace in the second half of the season.
I expected Barcelona to kick on after scoring their first, but Levante have managed to stem the flow of traffic in the last couple of minutes. Ruben Garcia threatens for Levante as he drills a low cross into the box, but Valdes is on hand to claim. Little over 15 minutes of the first period remaining in Valencia.
In truth, it has been an untidy six or seven minutes with both sides guilty of losing possession too easily in the final third. Levante are without the ball for long periods, but Barca are not really threatening at the moment with a couple of offsides in quick succession further stunting their progress in the final third.
Barcelona continue to pass and probe outside the Levante box with Messi coming deep to gain control of the possession, but Diop and Simao have been equal to the danger thus far. The home side attempt to break moments later with El Zhar, but he cannot run away from Alba. Little over 10 minutes of the first period remaining in Valencia.
There is no real fluidity or pace about the Barcelona performance at the moment, which is strange when taking into account the personnel they have on the field. Levante are not too interested in attacking, however, as they continue to defend their own box. It remains 1-1 after 34 minutes of this La Liga contest.
The referee has been more involved than he would have liked in the last couple of moments with challenges flying in from both sides. Mascherano is the latest name to enter the book after a late one on El Zhar, which brings jeers from the home supporters. Untidy period of the match as the second period enters its latter stages.
CHANCE! Opportunity for Barcelona to take the lead as Pedro drives inside before finding Xavi, but his effort just moves wide of the post. You just get the feeling that Levante need to get to half time on level terms.
Barcelona have just started to take control of the possession in the latter stages of the half with Levante struggling to match the intensity from the Catalan outfit. A free kick arrives for Barca outside the box when Diop fells Xavi, but Messi's clipped effort comes to nothing and Levante have a goal kick.
Not too much to report in terms of chances in the last couple of moments with a series of late challenges interrupting the flow of the match. Pedro threatens down the left when he skips past Navarro, but Vyntra is across to clear. Little over two minutes of the first period remaining. I shouldn't think that there will be too much stoppage time.
HALF-TIME: Levante 1-1 Barcelona
So there we have it. The referee brings the first period to an end with the two sides level at 1-1. Levante led inside 10 minutes when Vyntra met a corner from Ivanschitz, but Pique headed Barcelona level less than 10 minutes later. It has been a well-matched half of football in Valencia.
STATISTICS: The away side have dominated the possession with 72%, while they have had seven attempts to Levante's two. However, aside from the two goals, there has been just one shot on target from Barcelona. Levante have been fairly comfortable with the threat from the champions thus far.
BENCH WATCH: The home side have a number of attacking options in reserve in the shape of Angel, Pedro Rios and Xumetra. Meanwhile, Barcelona have the likes of Tello, Adriano and Dongou on a young bench. Just a reminder that they are without the services of injured Brazilian pair Neymar and Dani Alves.
Here we go then. Both sets of players join us on the pitch for the second period. Just a reminder that following this match we have action from the Spanish capital as Atletico Madrid welcome Sevilla - be sure to remain with us for that. Right, the home side get the second period underway.
No changes for either side at the interval, which is not much of a surprise. However, I suspect changes will occur if the scores remain level for the next 20 minutes or so. Early half-chance for Montoya as the Barcelona right-back strikes one from outside the box, but Navas is on hand to make the save.
Not too much for the home supporters to get excited about in the early stages of the half with Barcelona dominating possession of the ball. However, the Catalan outfit have really lacked that cutting edge in the final third thus far. You just get the feeling that the next goal - if there indeed is one - could be vital.
Barcelona continue to dominate possession of the ball in the Levante half, but they are struggling to force the issue in the final third. Meanwhile, the likes of Sanchez and Pedro have been caught offside on too many occasions. Levante remain solid in defence, but are not really threatening down the other end.
Better from Barcelona as Xavi weights a wonderful ball towards Sanchez, but the Chilean runs into the challenge of Diop, who concedes a corner. The resulting set piece falls to Busquets, but his cross is also cleared as Levante ride out another period of sustained possession.
Half-chance for Barcelona as Xavi finds some space outside the box before attempting to curl one towards the top corner, but his effort is high of the crossbar. Levante make their first change of the match moments later as El Zhar is replaced by Angel Rodriguez. Little over 30 minutes of this La Liga clash remaining.
Levante just cannot get out their own half at the moment as Barcelona continue to pass and probe in the final third. Fabregas finds some space inside the box, but the offside flag is raised at the vital moment. It would not be a surprise if Gerardo Martino was thinking about changes at this stage of proceedings. Levante remain fairly comfortable.
CHANCE! Wonderful chance for Barcelona to take the lead as Messi dances into the box before attempting to curl one into the bottom corner, but Navas makes a fine save. The Levante stopper makes two more sensational stops in quick succession, but the flag had already been raised.
CHANCE! Another opportunity for Messi as Alba drives down the left before finding the Argentine, who takes one touch before firing towards the bottom corner, but Vyntra is on hand to make a fine block at the vital moment.
Not too much in terms of attacking pressure from Levante as they continue to retreat deeper and deeper, which could prove to be their undoing. Surely Barcelona will take one of their chances in the latter stages. Still no movement on the Barca bench with 66 minutes on the clock.
Just a reminder that following this match we have action from the Spanish capital as Atletico Madrid welcome Sevilla. As it stands, a win for Atletico would move them top of the table. However, Barcelona still have time to score a winner here. More frustration for Messi as he is penalised for a tangle of legs with Navarro. little over 20 minutes of football remaining.
CHANCE! Wonderful chance for Levante to take the lead as Lopez finds himself unmarked inside the Barcelona box before meeting a cross from Garcia, but his effort is just deflected wide of the post, before Pique clears under his own crossbar from the resulting corner.
CHANCE! Another opportunity for the home side as Angel plays the ball wide before meeting a cross from Garcia, but his header is straight into the arms of Valdes. Levante are starting to force the issue as we approach the latter stages. They want more than a point here.
Levante make their second change of the match with little over 15 minutes remaining as Garcia is replaced by El Adoua. Barcelona also look to their bench with Sergi Roberto replacing Fabregas, who struggled to influence proceedings this evening. Is there to be a winner in Valencia?
Half-chance for Sanchez this time as the Chilean rises inside the box, but his header is straight at Navas from close range. It appears that Barcelona are preparing to make their second change in quick succession with Tello receiving his final instructions from the sidelines.
CHANCE! Opportunity for Levante as Ivanschitz finds some space outside the box before curling one towards the top corner, but Valdes is on hand to make a fine save. Barcelona do indeed look to their bench for the second time moments later as Tello enters the field in place of Pedro, who has been quiet this evening.
Montoya attempts to force the issue moments later as he dances into the Levante box, but Vyntra is across to clear at the vital moment. You just get the feeling that there will be a couple more clear chances in the final 10 minutes or so. Can Levante hold on? The whole of Madrid are watching.
Another attack for Barcelona breaks down in the final moment as Xavi fails to find the run of Busquets inside the box. Levante are under pressure, but appear fairly comfortable in dealing with the threat. Messi has been almost non-existent this evening, but there is time for that to change. Little over five minutes of normal time remaining in Valencia.
It's poor from Ivanschitz as the Levante forward loses Messi before challenging the Argentine from behind, which gains him a yellow card. The resulting free kick is taken by Messi, but his cross is headed clear by Navarro. Levante have been sensational defensively this evening.
Big moment for young striker Dongou as Barcelona introduce the pacey forward for the final couple of moments, with Xavi departing the field. Little over two minutes for Levante to hold onto a point here.
CHANCE! Wonderful chance for Barcelona as Tello finds some space outside the box before curling one towards the bottom corner, but Navas is on hand to make another sensational save. The pressure continues to rise.
Levante make their third and final change as Ivanschitz, who has recently been booked, is replaced by Pinto. Time is running out for Barcelona, with Levante threatening to win it on the counter. Juanfran has a shooting chance on goal, but his effort is straight at Valdes.
The fourth official indicates that we will play an additional four minutes and we are indeed into the third of those. The home side have an opportunity from a free kick outside the box, but Karabelas fires wide of the post.
CHANCE! Barcelona come close to winning it late on as it falls to Sanchez inside the box, but his low effort is blocked by Juanfran.
FULL-TIME: Levante 1-1 Barcelona
So there we have it. Levante hold Barcelona to a 1-1 draw in La Liga. Thanks for joining Sports Mole for the action and be sure to remain with us for Atletico against Sevilla. Until then!
