Trailing 2-0 at half-time, FC Barcelona, the reigning Spanish champions, gave themselves a big scare but ended up snatching a last-gasp victory (3-2) on Saturday away to newly promoted Levante, during the second day of La Liga.

Surprised twice on the counterattack by the second division champions (15th, 45th + 8 sp), Barça, still provisional leaders (6 points), came back into the game in the space of three minutes in the second half, thanks to a long-range shot from their metronome Pedri (49th, 2-1) and a clever shot from Ferran Torres (52nd, 2-2) from a corner.

Hansi Flick's men then sealed their first comeback of the season in the 91st minute, with a cross from the inevitable Lamine Yamal deflected into his own goal by an opposing defender (90th+1, 3-2).

"We knew it wouldn't be an easy pitch, we knew they would make life difficult for us with the ball and we really had to fight. (...) Afterwards, no matter how the match goes, we know that Lamine is capable of emerging and making the difference, which makes things much easier for us," Pedri said on Movistar+.

Levante's players, well-positioned and defensively united, had held firm until now while the Catalans pushed for victory, despite a worrying lack of control at the back which could have cost them dearly.

This first scare in La Liga should nevertheless serve as a lesson to the Blaugranas, whose very high alignment on the pitch often exposes them too much against opponents capable of finding depth.

- Atlético can't do it -

Too timid offensively, Atlético Madrid, beaten last weekend by Espanyol Barcelona on the first day, has chained a second poor performance by conceding a draw (1-1) against the other promoted team, Elche, at the Metropolitano.

Still in the running-in phase after a hectic summer, Atlético (13th, 1 point), despite having started well in the match by the Norwegian colossus Alexander Sorloth (8th, 1-0), were caught a few minutes later by an opposing counter-attack perfectly concluded by the ex-Valencian Rafa Mir (15th, 1-1).

French striker Antoine Griezmann, again a substitute at kick-off, came on in the 68th minute but was no more successful than his teammates in beating the vigilance of Argentinian goalkeeper Matias Dituro, who was impeccably on his line (71st).

The Colchoneros, ambitious this summer in the transfer market, could already find themselves distanced in the title race by their two rivals in the event of a second victory of the season for Kylian Mbappé's Real, who travel to another promoted team, Oviedo, on Sunday (9:30 p.m.).