Match ends, Barcelona 1, Real Valladolid 0.
Lionel Messi scored one penalty and missed another as Barcelona beat Real Valladolid to move seven points clear at the top of La Liga.
Messi scored his 30th goal of 2018-19 when he converted his first spot-kick after Michel had fouled Gerard Pique.
Barcelona were awarded a second penalty when substitute Philippe Coutinho was brought down by Kiko Olivas, but this time Jordi Masip saved Messi's strike.
Masip also made a number of saves to repeatedly deny Luis Suarez and Messi.
The result leaves Barcelona seven points clear of Atletico Madrid, who won 1-0 at Rayo Vallecano earlier on Saturday.
Real Madrid are third, two points behind Atletico, and play their game in hand on Sunday when they entertain Girona at 11:00 GMT.
With Barcelona facing Lyon in the opening leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday, manager Ernesto Valverde opted to have Suarez and Ivan Rakitic among the substitutes, with former Tottenham and Portsmouth man Kevin-Prince Boateng starting.
Boateng had a low shot saved by Masip, who was with Barcelona from 2008 to 2017, but the visitors themselves wasted a glorious chance when they failed to convert a four-on-two counter-attack with Nacho overhitting the cross.
Within a minute of that Valladolid chance, Barcelona were ahead. Pique, playing his 300th La Liga match for the club, burst into the penalty area, Michel had his arms on his shoulders and Messi stepped up to convert the resulting penalty.
Sergi Guardiola, a player sacked by Barcelona in 2015 within a day of joining them after historical tweets critical of the team and the region were discovered, was part of the Valladolid side and had a chance early in the second half, but shot narrowly wide from 25 yards out.
But the hosts continued to produce good chances as Masip made a brilliant save to keep out Messi's volley and then denied substitute Suarez and Ousmane Dembele.
A quick passing move involving Suarez and Coutinho saw the latter brought down for Barcelona's second penalty, but Masip pushed away Messi's effort, which had been placed in the same position as the first.
Masip kept his side in it with another excellent save to deny Suarez, with Messi also shooting narrowly off target. However, despite a good performance from the visitors, they could not force an equaliser and they are now 15th, three points above the relegation zone.
'We have not played well' - what they said
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique: "The only good news is the win, we have not played well. It's important to keep picking up the three points, but we have not played well and the feelings on the pitch were not positive.
"We struggled against them, we were not moving the ball quick enough and if not we suffer."
Real Valladolid goalkeeper Jordi Masip: "Bittersweet feelings. We had chances to get a draw and we need to be proud. We knew they would have chances of getting behind the defence.
"I managed to guess which way Messi was going to shoot (for the second penalty).
"We need to pick up some points and get away from the relegation zone and be a bit more secure."
Line-ups
Barcelona
Formation 4-3-3
- 1ter Stegen
- 20Roberto
- 3Piqué
- 24Vermaelen
- 18Alba
- 22Vidal
- 5Busquets
- 21AleñáSubstituted forRakiticat 76'minutes
- 10MessiBooked at 67mins
- 19BoatengSubstituted forSuárezat 60'minutes
- 11DembéléSubstituted forCoutinhoat 70'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Nélson Semedo
- 4Rakitic
- 7Coutinho
- 9Suárez
- 14Malcom
- 15Lenglet
- 30Peña
Real Valladolid
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 1Masip
- 2Fernández
- 4Olivas Alba
- 5Calero
- 18Regal Angulo
- 23MohamedBooked at 34mins
- 21Herrero JavaloyasBooked at 70mins
- 22Martínez García
- 11VerdeSubstituted forVilla Suárezat 67'minutesSubstituted forPlazaat 76'minutes
- 9ÜnalBooked at 11minsSubstituted forGontán Gallardoat 79'minutes
- 12Guardiola Navarro
Substitutes
- 8Fernández
- 13Rodríguez
- 17Moyano Lujano
- 19Villa Suárez
- 20Cop
- 24Gontán Gallardo
- 42Plaza
- Referee:
- Juan Martínez Munuera
- Attendance:
- 67,435
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home61%
- Away39%
- Shots
- Home20
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away0
- Corners
- Home3
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away18
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Barcelona 1, Real Valladolid 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Coutinho (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Luis Suárez.
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Attempt saved. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Lionel Messi.
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Offside, Barcelona. Ivan Rakitic tries a through ball, but Luis Suárez is caught offside.
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Sergi Roberto (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Stiven Plaza (Real Valladolid).
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Foul by Lionel Messi (Barcelona).
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Míchel (Real Valladolid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Arturo Vidal (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Keko (Real Valladolid).
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Attempt missed. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Ivan Rakitic.
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Attempt saved. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
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Penalty saved! Lionel Messi (Barcelona) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, left footed shot saved in the bottom right corner.
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Penalty Barcelona. Coutinho draws a foul in the penalty area.
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Penalty conceded by Kiko Olivas (Real Valladolid) after a foul in the penalty area.
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Luis Suárez (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Fernando Calero (Real Valladolid).
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Attempt missed. Joaquín Fernández (Real Valladolid) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right following a set piece situation.
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Attempt missed. Nacho (Real Valladolid) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Míchel following a set piece situation.
Comments
Join the conversation
If you're so interested in Hartlepool's performance, why have you read an article about Barcelona?
Anyway, incase you needed help, here's the link about Hartlepool today. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47181252
Messi has a poor penalty record, actually. He misses roughly 20% of those he takes.
Username potato because you clearly have the same iq as a potato
Seriously though stop spamming comments on how bad the quality of La Liga is ad although I admit we had a bad game (because of Valverde's approach) which is ironic as the Prem is nothing better.
Yawn, I don’t care who wins the corrupt uefalona liga, I just tune in for the el comedy matches.
Real Madrid
Bayern Munich
Real Madrid
AC Milan
Porto
Liverpool
Barcelona
AC Milan
Manchester United
Barcelona
Inter Milan
Barcelona
Chelsea
Bayern Munich
Real Madrid
Barcelona
Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Quad 4 I don't know how or where you gather your information but this is the last 20 winners of the Champions League? Care to explain?
4 hours ago
EPL as good as La Liga?? Haha wind your necks in
Yeh i mean Girona (whose players are on less than (£5k a week) would win at the Etihad,Anfield,OT etc,just like they won today at The Bernabeau
Great! If the best in the world can do that I won't feel so bad next time I miss one now!