Ernesto Valverde fully accepts Barcelona are dependent on Lionel Messi after the Argentine helped inspire a comeback in Tuesday’s scintillating 4-4 draw away to relegation threatened Villarreal.

Valverde had chosen to rest Messi ahead of Saturday’s visit of second-placed Atletico Madrid, and initially Barca looked to be coping fine without him as they went 2-0 up thanks to Philippe Coutinho and Malcom.

But Samuel Chukwueze pulled one back and Karl Toko Ekambi punished poor positioning from Marc-Andre ter Stegen to equalise, before Vicente Iborra and Carlos Bacca had seemingly secured a famous win for Villarreal.

Trailing 4-2 in the 90th minute, Messi fired home a free-kick before Luis Suarez equalised with the last kick of the game.

Hear what Barca boss Valverde had to say on the dependence of Messi.

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