European football: Barcelona hit back from two down to beat Levante in thriller | European club football

Barcelona staged an exhilarating second-half comeback to defeat Levante 3-2 in La Liga on Saturday, overcoming a two-goal deficit after a poor first-half show.

Barça fell behind early within the match as Iván Romero capitalised on house contained in the field to fit residence within the fifteenth minute.

Levante doubled their lead earlier than the break. Alejandro Balde was penalised for handball after a VAR evaluation, and José Luis Morales transformed the ensuing penalty to go away the defending champions with a mountain to climb.

Marcus Rashford, making his full debut for Barça after becoming a member of on mortgage from Manchester United, was substituted at half-time. Barcelona fought after the break and Pedri pulled one again with a shocking strike within the forty ninth minute, discovering the highest nook.

“We all know this isn’t a straightforward subject. Within the first half, we didn’t give the ball the tempo it wanted. I’ll take away the group’s response,” Pedri mentioned.

Ferran Torres, who had earlier been denied by the crossbar, levelled the rating simply three minutes later with a well-taken volley. The match appeared destined for a draw till stoppage time, when Levante’s Unai Elgezabal inadvertently headed Lamine Yamal’s pinpoint cross into his personal web.

Hansi Flick’s aspect will go to Rayo Vallecano subsequent week as they proceed their quest to defend their title.

Atlético Madrid failed to carry on to a lead for the second La Liga recreation in a row, settling for a 1-1 residence draw with promoted Elche as Rafa Mir’s equaliser cancelled out Alexander Sørloth’s early strike.

Sørloth put Atlético forward eight minutes in, the Norway ahead sprinting as much as the field to fulfill David Hancko’s lengthy ball and firing it over Matías Dituro with a left-footed first contact.

Elche equalised seven minutes later. Álvaro Rodríguez’s glorious cross from the proper discovered Mir, who beat Jan Oblak with a superbly timed right-foot shot.

Dituro caught Hancko’s headed try on the hour mark earlier than clearing a harmful cross from Connor Gallagher with a dive, protecting the guests within the recreation as Elche held on to attract their second league recreation in a row.

Napoli launched their Serie A season in model with a 2-0 win at Sassuolo, as Scott McTominay powered in a first-half header earlier than Kevin De Bruyne curled residence a free-kick after the break.

The previous Manchester United midfielder McTominay bulleted a header into the web from Matteo Politano’s curling cross after simply 17 minutes to place Napoli forward.

De Bruyne, who moved to Italy after his Manchester Metropolis contract expired, doubled the benefit after 57 minutes, bending a free-kick from a decent angle over the crowded field and into the far backside nook. McTominay instructed Dazn: “It’s an honour to have De Bruyne within the group. I’m the one who has to study from him, not the opposite manner round.”

Sassuolo’s Serie A return took one other downturn when Ismaël Koné was proven a second yellow card simply minutes from time.

Antonio Conte praised Napoli’s spirit however admitted he’s nonetheless trying to find the proper stability in midfield. The supervisor mentioned: “I’m nonetheless looking for the proper method to make sure the three midfielders from final season can co-exist harmoniously with Kevin. We haven’t had lengthy to work on it, however I’m seeing some attention-grabbing issues.”

Milan endured the worst potential begin to their marketing campaign, slipping to a 2-1 residence defeat in opposition to promoted Cremonese. Regardless of controlling a lot of the match, Milan’s defensive frailties and dear errors allowed Cremonese to capitalise, securing solely their second Serie A victory at San Siro.

The breakthrough got here within the twenty eighth minute as Milan’s defence switched off from a Cremonese nook, the clearance falling to Alessio Zerbin who whipped it again into the field for an unmarked Federico Baschirotto to thunder a header previous Mike Maignan and put the guests in entrance.

Milan lastly struck again deep into first-half stoppage time, as Pervis Estupiñán raced to the byline and lofted a intelligent chip over the Cremonese defence, leaving Strahinja Pavlovic free to go residence the equaliser from shut vary.

Simply as Milan gave the impression to be taking management, Cremonese obtained a purpose within the 61st minute when Giuseppe Pezzella lofted a excessive ball into the field for Federico Bonazzoli, who silenced San Siro with a shocking overhead kick into the web to seal the win.

Roma gave Gian Piero Gasperini a successful begin as supervisor with a 1-0 residence victory over Bologna, sealed by Wesley França’s 53rd-minute strike.

Bayer Leverkusen suffered a shock 2-1 residence loss to Hoffenheim of their Bundesliga season opener at hand Erik ten Hag a dropping league debut as their coach.

Regardless of going 1-0 up, it was not the efficiency the Dutchman, who changed Xabi Alonso after the departures of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Jonathan Tah and Granit Xhaka, had wished. The 2024 German home double winners and final season’s runners-up lacked concepts and precision up entrance whereas their backline badly missed Tah’s dominant presence.

Hoffenheim hit a submit by Tim Lemperle after two minutes however Leverkusen scored first when Jarell Quansah headed in for a sixth-minute lead, a purpose the previous Liverpool defender celebrated with a tribute to his late former teammate Diogo Jota.

Fisnik Asllani, nonetheless, bagged a Twenty fifth-minute equaliser and issues obtained worse for the hosts seven minutes after the restart when Lemperle drilled in a low shot from 22 yards. Leverkusen didn’t get a look-in for a lot of the second half till Nathan Tella fired into the aspect netting.

Borussia Dortmund conceded two objectives within the final 4 minutes to waste a 3-1 lead and accept a 3-3 draw at St Pauli of their Bundesliga opener. Bayern Munich, the champions, opened the Bundesliga season on Friday with a 6-0 demolition of RB Leipzig.

In Ligue 1, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted a brace as final season’s runners-up Marseille bounced again from a shock loss at Rennes to clinch a 5-2 win over Paris FC. Mason Greenwood scored a penalty for Marseille, but additionally missed one.