First-half goals by Ivan Romero and Jose Luis Morales gave Levante a shock lead against the champions in Valencia, before Pedri and Ferran Torres struck twice in quick succession after half-time to level the match.

Hansi Flick's side looked destined for a draw on a near-waterlogged pitch until an Unai Elgezabal own-goal in injury time gave them a second win to start the new season.

Levante went ahead on 15 minutes when the ball was knocked across the Barcelona box to Romero, who bamboozled Pau Cubarsi with a superb shoulder-drop before rifling past new signing Joan Garcia.

Torres looked certain to level in the 37th minute when Pedri's deft first-time pass found the forward unmarked in the box, but his fierce strike rattled the bar rather than the net.

After Lamine Yamal lost the ball on the edge of the Levante box, the hosts broke and as Roger Brugue prepared to shoot Alejandro Balde appeared from nowhere to save his side with an excellent piece of last-ditch defending.

However, as Balde got back to his feet another shot was fired at him which the referee decided struck the 21-year-old's arm in an unnatural position following a VAR intervention.

Morales, 38, duly doubled Levante's lead from 12 yards seven minutes into first-half added time. Stung by the decision, Barcelona came out roaring in the second half. Midfield metronome Pedri took matters into his own hand four minutes after the interval as he powered a 25-yard drive into the top corner to spark the comeback.

Flick's side were back level three minutes later when Torres made amends for his earlier miss with a close-range finish from a corner. Brugue had a gilt-edged chance in the box on 54 minutes to restore Levante's lead but was unable to get enough on the ball to convert. Raphinha forced a great sprawling save from Pablo Campos on 83 minutes after his shot from the left of the box was diverted goalwards by a defender.

But Levante's luck failed to hold as Yamal floated in a cross from the right in the 91st minute which Elgezabal glanced into his own net under pressure from Torres.

Iván Romero

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