Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde insisted that Lionel Messi was completely fit for the Athletic Bilbao clash which ended in a goalless draw.

The Catalans were frustrated at San Memes and were forced to split points with the hosts. Real Madrid cut the gap to six points, with a win in the Madrid derby, and these results have now blown open La Liga’s title race.

The Argentine looked like he was holding back for majority of the first half and failed to bail out an average Barcelona side.

“Messi is fine and he has played at 100 per cent,” Valverde said after the match, according to Goal.

“He has had some difficulties, because we had them as a collective, but when he plays it is because is absolutely convinced everything is fine.”

However, he did admit that Arturo Vidal and Coutinho were far from their best.

“It’s like everything else when you get a draw that you think that you should have won,” Valverde said.

“It is a matter for the whole team and people always point to a player because he failed a pass or some situation. It is true that sometimes they can be more successful.”