The landscape of Spanish women’s football shifted during the summer of 2024, and honestly, if you weren't paying close attention to the municipal filings in Catalonia, you might have missed the birth of a new rivalry. When Las Planas moved from Sant Joan Despí to become Levante Badalona, it wasn't just a change of scenery. It was a strategic play to plant a flag in the third-largest city in Catalonia and challenge the absolute hegemony of FC Barcelona.
Football in Barcelona is usually a one-sided conversation. You have the Blaugrana, and then you have everyone else trying to survive the storm. But this specific matchup—Levante Badalona vs Barcelona—is starting to feel different. It’s gritty.
The Identity Shift of Levante Badalona
Let’s be real: moving a top-flight team is always a massive gamble. We saw it with Tacón becoming Real Madrid, but this is more localized. By rebranding as Levante Badalona, the club basically told the world they were tired of being the "other" team in the shadow of the Camp Nou. They moved to the Estadi Municipal de Badalona, a tidy 4,000-seat venue that puts fans right on top of the pitch. That matters. When Barcelona comes to town, that intimacy turns into a pressure cooker.
Ferran Cabello, the coach who has been instrumental in the club’s rise, has built a squad that doesn't just sit back and pray for a 0-0 draw. While Barcelona relies on the celestial passing of Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas, Levante Badalona has invested in experience. They’ve brought in players like Estefanía Banini, the Argentine playmaker who spent years at Atlético Madrid. She brings a level of "pausa" and craftiness that you usually don't see in teams fighting at the mid-table level.
Then there’s the youth. The club is actively trying to poach talent that doesn't quite make the cut at La Masia. It’s a smart move. They’re creating a "second chance" ecosystem for world-class athletes who want to stay in the Barcelona metropolitan area but need 90 minutes of weekly football to prove a point.
Why the Matchup Against Barcelona is a Tactical Nightmare
Playing Barcelona is a nightmare. Period. Jonatan Giráldez left a machine behind, and Pere Romeu hasn't missed a beat. They play with a high line that feels like it's suffocating you from the first whistle.
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However, Levante Badalona has shown a weird kind of resilience. Unlike some teams in Liga F that crumble after the first goal, the Badalona side tends to clog the interior channels. They force Barcelona out wide. Sure, Caroline Graham Hansen will still find a way to wreck your left-back—she’s arguably the best winger in the world right now—but Badalona makes them work for it.
The Midfield Chess Match
Watching Keira Walsh operate for Barcelona is like watching a master architect. She finds angles that shouldn't exist. To counter this, Levante Badalona often deploys a double-pivot that is less about "winning the ball" and more about "denying the space." It’s ugly football sometimes. It’s physical.
- Levante Badalona’s Strategy: Low block, quick transitions through the wings, and heavy reliance on set-pieces.
- Barcelona’s Response: Total possession, relentless counter-pressing, and using Salma Paralluelo’s verticality to stretch the defense.
Actually, the most interesting thing is the psychological element. Many of the players on the Levante Badalona roster grew up in the Barça system. They know the drills. They know the patterns. There is a specific kind of fire that lights up when you play against the club that released you at 19.
The "Badalona Project" vs The Global Brand
We have to talk about the money and the infrastructure because that’s where the gap is most glaring. Barcelona Femení is a global powerhouse with a budget that dwarfs most of the league combined. They sell out the Montjuïc (and soon the new Camp Nou) for Champions League nights.
Levante Badalona is fighting for a different kind of relevance. They are trying to capture the local spirit of a city—Badalona—that has always had a chip on its shoulder regarding Barcelona. It’s a basketball city traditionally, home to Joventut Badalona. By bringing top-tier women’s football there, the club is tapping into a fan base that is fiercely loyal and distinct from the tourists who flock to see Barça.
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Is it working? Mostly. The attendance numbers at the Estadi Municipal are climbing. You’re seeing more kids in the stands wearing the Levante Badalona colors rather than the ubiquitous maroon and blue. It’s a slow build, but it’s authentic.
What People Get Wrong About This Rivalry
Most people think this is just another 5-0 drubbing waiting to happen. And look, sometimes it is. Barcelona is capable of putting five past anyone in Europe on a good day. But the "Levante Badalona - Barcelona" narrative isn't just about the scoreline. It's about the professionalization of the second tier of Spanish clubs.
For years, Liga F was a one-horse race. Then it was a two-horse race with Real Madrid. Now, teams like Levante Badalona are proving that you can build a sustainable, competitive project by being smart with scouting and localized with marketing. They aren't trying to be Barcelona. They are trying to be the thorn in Barcelona's side.
Key Players to Watch
When these two meet, keep your eyes on the wings. For Barcelona, Fridolina Rolfö (when healthy) or Ona Batlle provide a level of attacking threat from the fullback position that is basically unmatched in the women's game. They act as auxiliary midfielders.
For Levante Badalona, the key is often Maria Llompart. She’s got a bit of magic in her boots and can deliver a dead ball with pinpoint accuracy. In a game where you might only get two chances, her delivery is the equalizer.
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The Future of Football in Greater Barcelona
The proximity of these two clubs—just a few kilometers apart—creates a unique scouting war. Historically, if you were a talented girl in Catalonia, you went to Barça or Espanyol. Now, Levante Badalona is a legitimate third option. They offer a pathway to professional football without the extreme pressure of the Blaugrana spotlight.
This competition for talent will eventually raise the floor of the entire league. If Barcelona has to fight harder to sign the best 16-year-olds in the region because Badalona is offering them first-team minutes immediately, everyone wins. The quality of play goes up. The games get tighter.
Real Talk: Can Badalona Actually Win?
In a one-off game? It’s a massive ask. To beat Barcelona, you need a perfect storm: a career-best performance from your goalkeeper, a bit of luck with the woodwork, and Barcelona having an "off" day (which rarely happens).
But "winning" for Levante Badalona isn't necessarily about the three points every time. It’s about becoming a fixture in the top five of the table. It’s about making the Estadi Municipal a place where the big teams hate to travel. It’s about proving that the move from Sant Joan Despí was the best thing that ever happened to the club.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you are following this matchup or looking to understand the trajectory of Catalan football, here is how you should approach it:
- Watch the First 15 Minutes: Barcelona usually tries to kill the game early. If Levante Badalona survives the initial onslaught without conceding, the tactical tension ramps up significantly.
- Track the "Ex-Barça" Factor: Look at the lineups. Count how many players in the Badalona XI came through La Masia. That emotional investment usually leads to a much higher foul count and more aggressive pressing.
- Don't Just Look at the Score: In the 2024/2025 season cycles, look at the Expected Goals (xG). Often, Badalona manages to limit Barcelona’s high-quality chances even if the final score looks lopsided. That’s the sign of a well-coached defensive unit.
- Visit the Estadi Municipal: If you’re in the Barcelona area, skip the Camp Nou tour for one day and go to Badalona. The atmosphere is more "real," the tickets are affordable, and you get to see world-class athletes from three meters away.
The evolution of Levante Badalona is a blueprint for how mid-sized clubs can survive in the age of the "Superclub." They haven't tried to outspend the giants; they’ve tried to out-localize them. While Barcelona belongs to the world, Levante Badalona belongs to the neighborhood. And in football, sometimes that’s enough to make things very interesting on a Sunday afternoon.
The rivalry is still in its infancy, but the foundation is solid. Every time these two teams step onto the pitch, it's a reminder that while Barcelona might own the trophies, the soul of Catalan football is being fought for in places like Badalona every single week.