Athletic: Iraizoz; Iraola, Javi
Martínez, Amorebieta, Aurtenetxe; Iturraspe, De Marcos; Susaeta
(Iñigo Pérez 85'), Ander Herrera, Muniain (Ibai Gómez
88'); Llorente (San José 90'). 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona:
Víctor Valdés; Dani Alves, Piqué (Thiago 81'),
Mascherano, Abidal; Xavi (Alexis 60'), Busquets, Cesc Fàbregas; Iniesta,
Messi, Adriano (David Villa 71'). 4-3-3.
Goals:
1-0. 20. Ander. Struck angled shot past Víctor
Valdés after Susaeta laid ball back.
1-1. 24. Cesc Fàbregas.
Steered far post header over Iraizoz from Abidal cross.
2-1. 80. Llorente.
Deflection from Abidal clearance which Piqué turned in to net.
2-2.
92. Messi. Picked up Javi Martínez clearance and fired shot wide of
keeper.
Yellow cards: Ander 21', Javi Martínez 47', Iturraspe 52', Piqué 62', Amorebieta 68', 89' / red cards: Amorebieta 89'.
Barcelona dropped three points behind leaders Real Madrid after they could only draw 2-2 at Athletic Bilbao, and that thanks to an injury time strike from Messi when they appeared to be heading for their first defeat of the season. Despite the rainy conditions Barça were on top early on, Adriano bringing a good save out of Iraizoz. But with twenty minutes on the clock Ander Herrera picked up an assist from Susaeta to fire a shot past Valdés, the first goal that the keeper had let past him in just under 900 minutes. It only took the visitors four minutes to equalise, Fàbregas steering a header past Iraizoz from Abidal's cross, and Iraizoz had to be at his best to keep out Iniesta and Messi either side of half time. Athletic felt they should have had a penalty when Adriano pulled back Iraola, and with ten minutes to go they got back in front following a corner, Abidal's clearance bouncing back off the leg of Llorente, Piqué turning the ball in to his own net trying to clear. Guardiola threw everyone forward, Villa testing Iraizoz a couple more times and Iniesta putting a good chance wide. With a couple of minutes left on the clock Amorebieta was sent off for a second bookable offence, but the locals held on until the second minute of injury time, when Iturraspe and Iraizoz got in each other's way, and Javi Martínez could only clear the ball as far as Messi, who gratefully fired a shot back in to the net.