The Barcelona vs Levante match will take place this Sunday, August 18, 2013 (10:00 AM Pacific) at the Camp Nou. A newer, more dynamic version of FC Barcelona is set to take off this Sunday with the official debut of Brazilian star, Neymar. The ‘azulgranas’ will begin a new season where they hope they duplicate their La Liga success from last season when they were crowned champions. Levante, on the other hand, has a difficult task in front of them in their attempt to leave Barcelona with at least a point.
A new generation begins in Barcelona under new Argentine coach, Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino. The elite Spanish club is favored to win the league, but their biggest concern for the 2013-2014 campaign will be as to how far could they go into the Champions League. The incorporation of Neymar is crucial for the team’s success because not only does it dramatically increase the team’s offensive talent, but it also creates a hefty amount of internal competition for a starting position.
Internal competition will be a healthy ingredient for Barcelona’s season, as Neymar, Pedro, and Alexis Sanchez are all fighting for a starting position in Tata Martino’s lineup. Nonetheless, this is a team that has enough talent and depth to earn a good win against Levante in the first week of the season. Regarding Jonathan Dos Santos, the Mexican midfielder was not considered for this match due to an injury sustained a couple of weeks back.
Levante has an extremely difficult task when they visit the ‘azulgranas’. Not only are they highly unfavoured due to their poorer talent, but they have also never defeated Barcelona at the Camp Nou. The team coached by Joaquin Caparros finished last season in 11th place, far from European league spots. Their goal for this season will be to reach a place for a European competition, therefore a tie in Barcelona would be a great accomplishment.
Barcelona vs Levante Prediction
The Barcelona vs Levante match has the ‘azulgranas’ as the huge favorites. Barcelona has the talent, depth, mentality, and home support to earn a win by a large margin. The biggest doubt will not be as to who will win, but rather, if Neymar or Pedro will start. Nonetheless, this is Messi’s team, and expect the Argentine to be the game’s top player. The Barcelona vs Levante match will end in a 4-0 win for the home team.
Barcelona vs Levante TV Schedule
The Barcelona vs Levante La Liga match will be televised this Sunday, August 18, 2013 on beIN Sport at 10:00 AM Pacific.
