Barcelona lose unbeaten record in style against Levante

Levante players celebrating victory over Barcelona. [Photo/Courtesy]

Barcelona’s unbeaten run was ended at 43 matches by Levante in a sensational, topsy-turvy encounter which denied the Catalans the chance to finish the season without defeat.

Emmanuel Boateng and Philippe Coutinho both hit hat-tricks in a crazy game that saw Levante go 5-1 up and Barcelona fight their way back.

Levante opened the scoring after nine minutes when Jose Luis Morales blazed past Yerry Mina and teed up Boateng to blast home from close range.

Two minutes later Enis Bardhi crashed a strike off the post, with Barcelona all at sea at the back, Levante intent on doubling their lead.

They did so through Boateng in the 31st minute, the forward battering his way through to score his second.

However Coutinho pulled one back for Barca before the break, with a deflected effort from the edge of the box.

Yet less half a minute into the second half Bardhi curled home a spectacular third from outside the box, and then Boateng completed his hat-trick in the 49th minute, tucking a low strike inside the far post.

Macedonia winger Bardhi fired home the fifth, before Coutinho hit back from close range and then smashed in via a deflection off Luis Suarez.

The Uruguayan smashed in from the penalty spot after Sergio Busquets was fouled from behind at a corner to make it 5-4, but Barcelona couldn’t find a late equaliser.