Luis Suarez produced an astounding half-volley to earn La Liga champions Barcelona an unforgettable 4-4 draw and break the hearts of relegation-threatened Villarreal.
Lionel Messi, Ivan Rakitic and Gerard Pique all started from the bench as the holders looked to manage a frantic fixture list. Head coach Ernesto Valverde’s calculated gamble appeared to have paid off when Brazilian winger Malcom teed up countryman Philippe Coutinho for a tap-in and then the former headed home to make it 2-0 by 16 minutes.
The Yellow Submarine, however, kept pouncing on the counter-attack against a bedraggled back line. Nigeria winger Samuel Chukwueze’s composed rebound and Cameroon striker Karl Toko Ekambi’s cheeky cross-shot made it 2-2 by 50 minutes, while ruthlessly dispatched one-on-ones from midfielder Vicente Iborra and replacement Carlos Bacca made it 4-2 with 10 minutes left.
A red card for centre-back Alvaro Gonzalez then handed Barca hope. Substitute Messi reduced the disparity with a perfect free-kick that crashed in off the post during the 90th minute, with Uruguay hit man Suarez’s definitive final touch of an enthralling contest granting a share of the spoils.
Here are the Barca player ratings from Estadio de la Ceramica:
BARCELONA (4-3-3)
Marc-Andre ter Stegen 7: Barca’s experimental backline should have been breached several more times. Was embarrassed by Toko Ekambi, however.
Sergi Roberto 4: Played key role in opening goal, but struggled to contain surprisingly buoyant hosts.
Samuel Umtiti 3: A shadow of the centre-back he was last term. Regularly caught out of position. The knee injury has made him half the player. Could not keep pace with Bacca at end.
Clement Lenglet 4: Looked across and did not see Gerard Pique. His usual assuredness deserted him for Chukwueze’s strike.
Jordi Alba 4: Given a real going over by the effervescent Chukwueze. A rare night of strife in a season of success.
Arturo Vidal 5: A battle that the Chile warrior could not win. Failed to plug gaps vacated by Barca’s brittle defence.
Sergio Busquets 5: Another who floundered at Estadio de la Ceramica. Made only one interception all evening. All that possession, but nothing to show for it.
Arthur 5: The Brazil midfielder started brightly and then faded badly. Didn’t do enough damage with ball, doesn’t possess physicality to hamper rapier opponents.
Malcom 7: A breakthrough performance seemed to be unfolding during a first half that contained a fine assist and lovely goal. Second half was less impressive, but Messi’s stand-in for the night may have jumped forwards in the queue.
Luis Suarez 7: Perfect half-volley in second-half stoppage time broke Villarreal hearts and made it 18 La Liga matches without defeat.
Philippe Coutinho 7: Similar tale to countryman Malcom. His enormous price tag, however, necessitates a grasping of responsibility. This did not happen.
SUBSTITUTES
Lionel Messi 8: Divine free-kick on the stroke of injury time sparked hope of a salvage job. Previously, fortunate to just see yellow for dissent.
Ivan Rakitic 7: Croatia midfielder was sorely missed from the start.
Carles Alena 6: Handful of touches in, approximately, 20 minutes on the pitch.