The defending champion couldn't take advantage of the opportunity, though, losing 1-0 Wednesday to a Levante team that came into the match with only one league win the entire season.
Wearing the No. 10 jersey that used to belong to Lionel Messi, Ansu Fati made a triumphant return from a long injury layoff on Sunday, scoring a goal in 3-0 win over Levante.
Real Madrid couldn't overcome a Levante side that was forced to finish the match with a defender as their goalkeeper.
Madrid giants lost 2-1 at home to Levante in a match that the defending champions played with 10 men from the eighth minute when defender Eder Militao was sent off.
Messi fired a left-footed shot off the far post and into the net to get Barcelona’s breakthrough in the 76th minute after Levante had withstood the hosts with tenacious defending.
Luuk de Jong put Sevilla ahead a few seconds into the second half but a fluke play near the end gave the host the draw as a croSevillass partially saved by goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik ricocheted off Diego Carlos and went into their own net.
Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, and Sevilla can all move past Barcelona if they win later Saturday. Granada can also jump ahead of the defending champions on Sunday.
Live Match Streaming, Levante vs Barcelona, La Liga: Find full details on when and where to watch LEV vs BAR Live on Facebook.
The hosts kept threatening throughout the match, taking advantage of a Barcelona defence that was without Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba.
Barcelona lost 5-4 in a wild game at Levante on Sunday, ruining the champion's chance to become the first team to finish a Spanish league season without a defeat under its current format.
Messi recently missed two international friendlies with Argentina because of a leg muscle problem, scored an 89th-minute equalizer in Barcelona's 2-2 draw with Sevilla.
Madrid had taken control through Isco's goal in the 81st minute, but Giampaolo Pazzini equalized on his debut for Levante with two minutes to spare.
Lionel Messi scored a hat trick against crosstown rival Espanyol on Saturday, making Barcelona the only side so far to win its first three games in La Liga.
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