The opening half was incredibly disappointing from a Barça perspective, as the Blaugrana picked up right where they left off in the second half against Mallorca and played slow, apathetic, unimaginative football with very little intensity and creativity in the final third.

Instead, it was Levante who doubled their lead before halftime. Alejandro Balde was called for a penalty after it was deemed he deliberately blocked a shot with his hand. José Luis Morales calmly stepped up and dispatched the penalty with the final kick of the first half.