Levante upset Barca

Lionel Messi's penalty strike to give Barcelona the early lead wasn't enough once complacency set in.

Barcelona paid the price for not seeking a second goal and coming out of halftime in sluggish fashion yesterday when it was shocked by a Levante side that scored three goals in an eightminute span.

Levante's 3-1 upset win broke Barcelona's run of seven victories in a row across all competitions and left its lead of the Spanish league at risk. Real Madrid can move ahead if it beats Real Betis later. Granada can also jump ahead of the defending champion on Sunday. Barcelona has a postponed game in hand against Madrid that has been moved to Dec. 18.

Atlético Madrid and Sevilla wasted their chance to leap to the top of the table when they drew 11 in an entertaining match in Seville.

THREE IN EIGHT

Messi converted a spot kick in the 38th minute after Nelson Semedo was tripped by Jorge Miramón in the box. The goal extended Messi's scoring run to five consecutive games.

But Barcelona lost striker Luis

Suárez to a right leg muscle injury before halftime and came out after the restart without any fire.

Levante's first two goals both came after Barcelona booted aimless long balls from its area that were picked off by the host, which with one pass was already in striking position. José Campaña equalized and Borja Mayoral and Nemanja Radoja quickly added a goal each.

SAVED PENALTY

Goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik helped save a point for Sevilla when he smothered Diego Costa's spot kick and blocked the followup attempt by Jorge "Koke" Resurrección with the score at 1-1.

Sevilla took the lead from a free kick by Ever Banega that Franco Vázquez headed off the turf and past Jan Oblak, The Atlético goalie, usually so sure in the net, could have done more to stop the ball that went in off both hands.

But led by midfielder Thomas Partey with his runs forward from the midfield, the visitors increased the pace, and the scoring chances appeared for both sides.

Álvaro Morata leveled with half an hour to go when he headed in a cross by Santiago Arias by using his superior height to beat defender Jesús Navas at the far post.