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Score: UD Las Palmas 1-1 FC Barcelona
Goalscorers: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 21'; Jonathan Calleri (Las Palmas) 48'
FC Barcelona were held to a 1-1 draw in the Canary Islands in a starkly different performance from the weekend which saw them thrashing Girona 6-1. Lionel Messi opened the scoring for the visitors with a neatly struck free-kick to register his 23rd La Liga goal of the campaign.
Three minutes into the second half, Las Palmas were awarded a contentious penalty which was converted expertly by Jonathan Calleri. A point was well earned by the Canaries whereas FC Barcelona were made to pay for taking their foot off the gas in this one.
On that note, let's delve into the match in further detail and extract what we learned from the 1-1 draw at the Estadio de Gran Canaria.
#5 UD Las Palmas get their survival bid back on track
Las Palmas went into this game winless in the league against Barcelona in their last 13 attempts. With Las Palmas struggling in the relegation zone at the moment, this match had an easy three points written for Barcelona all over it.
But Las Palmas showed more intent and application on the night and as a matter of fact, wanted a result from this game more than Barcelona. Oghenekaro Etebo dominated the midfield whereas Alen Halilovic had a point to prove against his former side.
With this result, Las Palmas are now tied on 20 points with Levante who are 17th and currently safe in the league table. This is just the right kind of result against a top team that may ignite the fire for the Canaries to mount a survival bid.
Levante have ties remaining against Sevilla and Barcelona remaining whereas Las Palmas only have a game against Real Madrid to fend off from the higher echelons of the league which will give further hope to the Canaries.
#4 Luis Suarez fails to impress but most importantly, survives a booking
Despite scoring a hattrick in the last game, the sight of Luis Suarez trying every trick in the book to get a yellow card late in the game was hilarious and memorable. Suarez wanted to miss the game against Las Palmas and start afresh against Atletico Madrid at the weekend. He didn't get a booking against Girona and was surprisingly given a start here against Las Palmas.
Suarez is never shy of arguing against the referee's decisions and at the time of a couple of dubious calls last night, the Uruguayan could have been in danger of getting a booking. But he did not overdo his appeals and behaved impeccably well on the night and survived a much-dreaded suspension against Atletico Madrid.
But more importantly, Suarez could not bring his A-game on to the fore and looked sluggish as the game went on. He has been on a brilliant scoring run in recent weeks but never looked confident in front of the goal against Las Palmas. His link-up play was inspired at times but he lacked the usual drive that has dragged Barcelona to victory on many occasions this season.
#3 Officiating mishaps
At the stroke of half time, Luis Suarez was on course for a straight run at the goal. Las Palmas goalkeeper Leandro Chichizola came off his line to clear the danger but inadvertently handled the ball outside his area. It was a clear red card offence which was missed by the match officials.
Two minutes into the second half, Las Palmas were awarded a penalty. As many as three different incidents took place during that decision. Sergi Roberto dragged back Matias Aguirregaray, Lucas Digne looked to have handled the ball and Thomas Vermaelen was pushed to the ground.
It was unsure on which incident did referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz awarded the penalty whereas he ignored the one on Vermaelen. In reality, all three happenings were not worthy of being given even a foul. FC Barcelona argued with the referee after the final whistle and Ernesto Valverde called the spot kick an "invisible penalty". No one in the stadium including the camera people and the commentators could make out why the penalty was given.
The Catalans would feel hard done by the refereeing decisions on the night. At the same time, Barcelona conceded a penalty for the first time in 79 games, a run that stretches back to February 2016.
#2 A bittersweet night for Lionel Messi
Estadio de Gran Canaria had been a stadium (before last night) where Lionel Messi had not scored a goal despite playing on two occasions. The Argentine scratched that off the record books with a sweetly struck free kick in the 21st minute. This time he hit one around the wall and beat the Las Palmas goalkeeper at his near post.
This was Messi's fourth free kick in 2018. Against Real Sociedad and Alaves, he made them dip over the wall whereas last week against Girona, he scored one under the wall. This time he decided to go around the wall and succeeded to mark his 31st goal in all competitions this season.
But for larger durations against the Canaries, Messi looked subdued and was not at his usual influential self. Las Palmas resorted to the only way possible to stop Leo Messi. They fouled him incessantly. Four of the opposition players got booked on the night for their tackles on the Barcelona talisman. It made Messi uncomfortable as he was unable to dominate in the final third.
#1 The title race just got more interesting
The Spanish media has already labelled Sunday's clash between FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid as the title decider and the biggest match of the current season. Barcelona's result against Las Palmas has just proved the notion right with two dropped points giving a way to the Colchoneros to sneak in.
The draw against Las Palmas means that Barcelona are now just five points ahead of Atletico Madrid at the moment. If Diego Simeone engineers a way for his side to claim all three points on Sunday then the pressure will be on Barcelona to keep hold of the top spot.
March is set to be the deciding month for Barcelona. The league is finely poised at the moment and so is their Champions League tie against Chelsea. The Catalans also play the Copa del Rey final against Sevilla this month. The difference between a great and a below-par season will be decided for Barcelona in the next few weeks.
