Eintracht Frankfurt's Europa League opponents FC Barcelona have completed a successful but unconvincing dress rehearsal.
Four days before the second leg of the quarter-finals at the Camp Nou, the Catalan football club in the Spanish league struggled to win 3-2 (0-0) after falling behind against relegation candidates UD Levante.
Substitute Luuk De Jong sealed the win with his goal in added time (90+2).
The hosts took the lead after José Luis Morales took the first penalty (52nd minute).
The former BVB professional Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (59th) and Pedri (63rd) then turned the party within just under five minutes.
With the second penalty kick, Gonzalo Melero equalized for the courageous outsider (83rd).
National goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen even saved a hand penalty from Levante striker Roger Marti (56th).
Even after the away win, the team coached by Xavi Hernandez – like FC Sevilla – is still twelve points behind arch-rivals Real Madrid, who lead the Primera Division table with 72 points.
However, Barca played one game less.
In the first leg of the Europa League, Eintracht had won a 1-1 draw against the star ensemble from Barcelona after a strong performance.
Real won the small city derby against FC Getafe 2-0 (1-0) on Saturday and are marching towards their 35th championship title.
FC Villarreal had previously missed a successful dress rehearsal for the quarter-final second leg in the Champions League at Bayern Munich with a B-Elf.
Coach Unai Emery exchanged all eleven players in the 1-1 (0-1) draw against Athletic Bilbao after the 1-0 win in the first leg against the German record champions.
Meanwhile, leaders AC Milan failed in the Italian Serie A title race with potentially serious consequences.
Milan could have gone four points at the top after rivals SSC Napoli slipped up (2-3 against Fiorentina) but were held to a 0-0 draw at Torino on Sunday night.
Defending champions Inter Milan moved up to two points after beating Hellas Verona 2-0 (2-0) on Saturday, level on points with Napoli - and Inter still have a game to play.
Former Stuttgarter Nicolas Gonzalez (29th), Jonathan ICOn (66th) and Arthur Cabral (72nd) scored on the 32nd of 38 matchdays for Fiorentina.
Dries Mertens (58th) had equalized in the meantime, Victor Osimhen (84th) reduced the lead in the closing stages.
Nicolo Barella (22nd) and former Bundesliga professional Edin Dzeko (30th) were successful for Inter.
Record champions Juventus Turin consolidated fourth place with a difficult 2: 1 (1: 1) in the relegation candidate Cagliari Calcio.