Barcelona 4-1 Levante: Marc Bartra, Neymar and Lionel Messi on target as Luis Enrique's side ease back to the top of La Liga

• Barcelona went into the game fifth in La Liga, knowing a win would return them to the top of the league table 
• The home side pressed throughout the first half, but were unable to find a way to break down Levante's defence 
• Lionel Messi produced a superb scooped pass to find Marc Bartra in the second half, who tucked the ball home
• Neymar added a second shortly after when he hit a shot through two Levante defenders and somehow into the net
• Lionel Messi added a third from the penalty spot to make it three in 11 minutes, before Levante pulled one back
• Messi went on to miss a second penalty, before adding Barcelona's fourth in the dying minutes of the match 
• Barcelona return to the top of La Liga with a 100 per cent win record from their four matches so far this season 

By Pete Jenson for MailOnline

Published: 15:19 EST, 20 September 2015 | Updated: 11:39 EST, 21 September 2015

Lionel Messi missed a penalty and Marc Andre ter Stegen dropped a cross that led to a goal but Barcelona still ran out comfortable 4-1 winners over Levante.

Beaten by Alessandro Florenzi’s shot from inside his own half in midweek against Roma the last thing Ter Stegen needed was another gaffe but neither his mistake nor Messi’s missed penalty made any difference to the result.

The Argentine scored from the spot before his miss and got a fine late second goal and with defender Marc Bartra and Neymar also scoring Barcelona moved to 12 points, ahead of Real Madrid, Villarreal and Celta at the top of the table.

Lionel Messi (left) and Neymar started for Barcelona without their third man in the 'MSN' trio - Luis Suarez - but they still won the game

Marc Bartra was the unlikely provider of the first goal, slotting home nicely at the back post after a scooped pass from Messi

Messi (right) scored Barcelona's third goal in 11 minutes when he fired a penalty into the roof of the net in the second half

Following his goal, Neymar ran to the sidelines to collect a shirt with Rafinha on the back - the defender is out for the rest of the season

With Luis Suarez rested on the bench, having started all of Barcelona’s games to date, there was an unfamiliar look to the team and Messi was in an attacking midfield berth behind centre-forward Sandro as Barça played more of a 4-2-3-1 than their traditional 4-3-3.

He was in that position behind the centre forward when they had their first clear cut chance. He dribbled around Angel Trujillo and shot into a crowd of Levante defenders. When the ball came back out to him he made space for another shot that was this time saved by Ruben Martinez.

Messi’s connection with Neymar produced the second clear-cut chance of the game when he put the Brazilian through but he pulled his shot wide. Neymar should have scored but was caught between shooting and finding Sandro with a pass.

Messi then wriggled clear again and shot at Martinez. The keeper saved and Sandro missed from the rebound. He then headed an Alves cross just over the bar, hanging in the air to make good contact but unable to keep his effort down.

Messi was getting frustrated by the first-half stalemate and he over-hit one pass to Alves and then misplaced another but he was still finding time to frustrate Levante and Verza was booked for pulling him back. The free-kick was the last kick of the first half with Messi sending the ball just over Martinez’s bar.

Adriano (left) roars with delight after Neymar (centre) scored Barcelona's second of the match against Levante at the Nou Camp on Sunday

Neymar (left) wheels away in celebration with Sandro Ramirez after notching Barcelona's second to help them back to the top of La Liga

Brazil superstar Neymar is bundled over in the area by Angel Trujillo, leaving the referee no choice but to award Barcelona a penalty

Levante had not just made it to half-time but they had also had chances on the break with Nabil Ghilas finding space but not hitting the target.

But the visitors fell behind just five minutes into the second period when Bartra took Messi’s lofted pass on his chest inside the area and sent it past Martinez. It was fine assist and the defender had given it the finish it deserved.

Messi then so nearly made goal number two with another diagonal that once again Neymar failed to make decent contact with.

He made amends moments later when Alves went down the right and crossed to the back post. Levante failed to clear and the ball dropped to Neymar in the six-yard box. There were three Levante defenders and the goalkeeper between him and the goal but with a shot that went through the legs of two of those defenders he found the back of the net.

The celebration was a special one – he ran to the side of the pitch and grabbed a Rafinha shirt holding it aloft. His Barça and Brazil team-mate injured cruciate ligaments in his right knee last week agasint Roma and looks likely to miss the rest of the season.

Messi scored one penalty against Levante on Sunday night, but also missed one after being fouled himself with the score at 3-1

Munir El Haddadi (left) races to reach the ball ahead of Angel Trujillo in front of a bumper crowd at the Nou Camp on Sunday evening

Neymar (centre) sprints through the centre of Levante pair Jose Antonio Garcia (left) and Ivan Lopez as he looks to carve an opportunity

It was turning into the Neymar show and when Trujillo bundled him over in the area the referee pointed to the spot and up stepped Messi to make it 3-0, driving the kick into the roof of the net.

Barca were even more glad of the third goal when Levante pulled one back thanks to a Ter Stegen error. The German came for a cross but failed to hold it leaving Victor Casadesus to sweep in the loose ball.

Messi was next to err with a penalty that sailed over Martinez’s bar. Zou Feddal appeared to handle in the area and if the referee had any doubts he also pulled back Messi and the penalty was awarded. Barca’s No 10 tried to put it into the roof of the net but got under it missing the second of the three he has taken this season.

But from a much more difficult chance he got his second of the game and Barcelona’s fourth with a mazy run and shot from the edge of the area that sealed a handsome win for the home side.

Jefferson Lerma (right) stretches to try and stop Messi in his tracks... something many have tried and failed to do in the past

Neymar (centre) scored Barcelona's second to help the team continue their 100 per cent win record in La Liga this season

Barcelona's starting XI pose for a team photograph wearing shirts in support of Syrian refugees prior to the La Liga match on Sunday

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