Defending champions Barcelona will be looking to extend their 100% start to the season when they host Levante in La Liga on Sunday.

The visitors to Camp Nou are still searching for their opening win of the campaign, having picked up just two points from their opening three fixtures.

Barcelona

Luis Enrique's side made it three wins from as many matches in the Spanish top flight this season when they came from behind to secure a 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid at Vicente Calderon last weekend.

The Catalan side have been in action since though, sharing a 1-1 draw with Serie A runners-up Roma in their opening fixture of the group stage of the Champions League, where they will be looking to become the first club to retain the title this season.

The reigning La Liga champions have not hit their top form yet this season, securing narrow 1-0 victories over Athletic Bilbao and Malaga in their first two outings of the campaign, before having to come from behind against Diego Simeone's side.

Lionel Messi scored his opening goal of the season in the win over Atletico, coming off the bench to add the winner inside the final 15 minutes. Luis Suarez is the club's top scorer so far this season though, adding to his winner against Bilbao with the opening goal in their Champions League tie earlier this week.

Barcelona, who have the only 100% record remaining in La Liga this season, have kept two clean sheets in their three matches so far, letting in just one goal. Five sides have been more prolific in front of goal though, with Eibar and Villarreal among those to have scored more.

Barcelona have a packed schedule before next month's international break. This will be the first of three La Liga matches in seven days for Enrique's side, as they travel to Celta Vigo three days later, before hosting Las Palmas next Friday, ahead of their second outing in the Champions League.

Recent form: WWDWWW
Recent form (all competitions): LDWWWD

Levante

Having suffered a defeat to Celta Vigo in their opening match of the season, Levante have picked up points in their last two outings, most recently sharing a 1-1 draw with Sevilla, but Lucas Alcaraz is still looking for his first win of the season.

It has been almost six months since Levante secured a league win, having recorded two losses and two draws in their final four outings last season. The last victory came over now-relegated Cordoba in April.

It is still early in the season, but Levante sit just two points ahead of bottom side Getafe, although victory this weekend could be enough to move the team up to seventh in the table.

Scoring has been something of a struggle for this weekend's visitors, as they have found the back of the net just twice so far, including one for Victor Camarasa to secure the draw last time out.

Camarasa was one of the club's top scorers last season, despite scoring just three goals in the league. David Barral, who netted just twice in the 2014-15 campaign, was also one of their stronger attacking players last season, but he left in the summer.

New signing Verza, who joined the club on a free from Almeria during the transfer window, scored on his La Liga debut for Levante, but has been kept quiet since, while Brazilian striker Deyverson, who cost €2m (£1.45m), is yet to open his account for his new side.

Recent form: DLDLDD
Recent form (all competitions): DLWLDD

Team News

The home side will be without Rafinha after he tore his ACL during the draw with Roma in the Champions League, which is likely to keep him out for the majority of the season.

Defender Gerard Pique is serving the final match of his suspension, but Thomas Vermaelen, who has been starting in place of the Spaniard, is also out with a calf injury, leaving Barcelona short at the back.

For the visitors, Simao is serving the third game of the four-match ban he was handed for picking up a red card in the opening game of the season.

Defender David Navarro has been passed fit for the match after missing the start of the campaign, leaving Ivan Lopez as the only player in the Levante treatment room .

Barcelona possible starting lineup:
Ter Stegen, Mascherano, Alba, Roberto, Mathieu, Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta, Neymar, Suarez, Messi

Levante possible starting lineup:
Ruben, Tono, Morales, Lopez, Trujillo, Feddal, Camarassa, Verza, Mari, Deyverson, Ghilas

Head To Head

When Levante travelled to Camp Nou last season, they suffered a heavy 5-0 loss to the eventual champions, with Lionel Messi scoring a hat-trick. Barcelona won the reverse fixture earlier in the season by the same scoreline.

This will be the 19th meeting between the two sides. In the 18 previous matches, Levante have never won, with Barcelona coming away with the win 14 times and four fixtures ending in a draw.

Barcelona have typically found goals easy to come by in their meetings with Levante, scoring four or more in nine of their 14 wins over this weekend's opponents, while they have never conceded more than a single goal per match.

We say: Barcelona 2-0 Levante

Barcelona have not peaked yet this season, but have still had enough to pick up wins in their first three matches, including against a side that will be one of their closest rivals. The loss of Rafinha will leave the champions short in midfield, but with Neymar, Messi and Suarez up front, the hosts should have more than enough to pick up the win against a side that are still looking for their first victory.