MADRID: Barcelona equalled a club record of 28 games unbeaten to regain their three-point lead over Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga with a hard-fought 2-0 win at Levante on Sunday.

Barca took the lead with an own goal by David Navarro in the 21st and sealed the victory with an injury-time goal by Luis Suarez — his 36th goal of the season — to match the unbeaten streak set by Pep Guardiola’s team in the 2010-11 season.

Bottom team Levante might have snatched at least a deserved point with better finishing against Barca, in lackadaisical mood after their 7-0 demolition of Valencia in the King’s Cup on Wednesday.

Levante central defender Navarro gave Barca a fortunate lead when he turned an Andres Iniesta cross meant for Lionel Messi into his own net.

The visitors had to wait until the second minute of added time to make the result safe when Suarez finished off a fast counter-attack with his 20th Liga goal as Levante tried to snatch an equaliser and were caught off guard.

Barcelona, with a game in hand, have 54 points to Atletico’s 51 after a 3-1 win over Eibar on Saturday.

TORRES GRABS 100TH ATLETICO GOAL

Substitute Fernando Torres scored his 100th Atletico goal as they rallied from 1-0 down to beat visiting Eibar at the Vicente Calderon Stadium.

Central defensive pairing Jose Maria Gimenez and Saul Niguez headed home corners after Keko had fired Eibar into a shock lead in the 46th before Torres ended a five-month goal drought in stoppage time when je found the net from close range after a low cross by Luciano Vietto.

“To score my 100th goal is a prize for my career,” said Torres, back at his first club after playing for Liverpool, Chelsea and AC Milan.

Also on Saturday, Villarreal drew 0-0 in a bad-tempered encounter at fellow European hopefuls Athletic Bilbao to remain fourth.

Jony scored the 600th goal of the season in La Liga as Sporting Gijon drew 1-1 with Deportivo La Coruna who replied through Luis Alberto.

Rayo Vallecano beat Las Palmas 2-0 to climb out of the relegation zone.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2016