Barcelona dropped their first points of the season but remain unbeaten after Luis Suarez’s header rescued them a draw against Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano.
A poor first half saw Barcelona go in behind at the break thanks to Saul Niguez’s excellent opening goal, curled in superbly from outside the area after an impressive team move.
Lionel Messi, back after his heroics with Argentina in midweek where he single-handedly dragged them to the World Cup, struck the post from a free-kick in the second half as Barcelona struggled to find the net.
Eventually the goal came when substitute Sergi Roberto whipped in a cross which Suarez, who had been disappointing to this point, headed home at the back post to equalise as the clock ticked down.
Suarez shushed the Atletico fans and perhaps some of his detractors too, as he ensured Barcelona would head back to Catalonia with a point that keeps them five points clear of Real Madrid and six of Atletico in second and third.
Andre Gomes had been selected on the right of midfield as Barcelona lined up with a narrow formation, the Portuguese making his first start since the Spanish Super Cup in August.
It was a surprise to see him picked and he struggled to get any spare change from Filipe Luis, improving fractionally when he was later moved to the left after Andres Iniesta was substituted.
Messi had hit the side netting inside a minute, giving Atletico an early heart attack, but Diego Simeone’s men hit back strongly with Antoine Griezmann twice forcing Marc-Andre ter Stegen into smart saves before Saul broke the deadlock.
Atletico possibly deserved the win but Barcelona improved when Gerard Deulofeu and Sergi Roberto were introduced, with the latter setting up Suarez’s equaliser.
A warning to Ernesto Valverde that Barcelona still need to improve, but in the end a good result thanks to Suarez’s header which Jan Oblak could only watch fly home.