Barcelona reclaimed the top spot in La Liga after securing a convincing 3-0 victory over Levante at Camp Nou on Sunday, February 22, 2026. This result came on the heels of Real Madrid’s surprising 2-1 defeat to Osasuna in Pamplona the previous day, allowing Hansi Flick’s side to capitalize and move one point clear at the summit.
In their home fixture, Barcelona dominated from the outset against a struggling Levante side sitting near the bottom of the table. Marc Bernal opened the scoring early in the 4th minute, capitalizing on a cross to give the hosts the lead.
Frenkie de Jong then doubled the advantage around the 32nd minute, marking his first goal in over a year with a clinical finish from the center of the box. The game was sealed late on when substitute Fermín López unleashed a thunderous long-range strike in the 81st minute, wrapping up a comfortable win that showcased Barcelona’s attacking fluency and control.
The win lifted Barcelona to 61 points from 25 matches, putting them ahead of Real Madrid on 60 points (also from 25 games) and strengthening their position in what remains a tightly contested title race.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s setback in Pamplona proved costly. Osasuna took the lead in the first half through Ante Budimir’s penalty in the 38th minute. Vinícius Júnior equalized for the visitors in the 73rd minute with a well-taken goal, appearing to have rescued a point.
However, drama unfolded in stoppage time as Raúl García scored a dramatic winner in the 90th minute—initially flagged offside but confirmed by VAR—handing Osasuna a famous victory at Estadio El Sadar and their first home win over Madrid in 15 years. This result not only dented Madrid’s momentum but also handed Barcelona the perfect opportunity to regain pole position.
With both El Clásico rivals now level on games played, the La Liga title battle intensifies further, as Barcelona’s superior goal difference and this weekend’s outcomes have swung the momentum back in their favor heading into the next round of fixtures.