Player ratings as Messi the conductor is an 8 and immense Umtiti is given a 9

Neto 5: Extremely lucky to get away with a howler when he fumbled Messi’s shot over the line but the officials didn’t spot it. Made a couple of decent low saves from Messi and Suarez.

Montoya 6: Little opportunity to get forward and was beaten by Alba for the equalising pass, although the quality of Messi’s pass gave him little chance.

Garay 7: Rugged and determined defending to hold Barca at bay. Struggled with injury during much of the second half and was eventually replaced.

Gabriel 8: Made several timely interventions on the edge of his area and definitely won his head to head battle with Suarez. Booked for fouling Messi.

Gaya 7: Got better and better as the game went on, providing an excellent assist for the opening goal and defending with diligence.

Soler 5: Quiet performance with little attacking impact from the youngster, who was replaced near the end.

Kondogbia 5: Found himself overwhelmed by Barca’s rapid pressing in the first half and looked lost at sea. Better in the second period but still relatively quiet. Booked for chopping down Messi.

Parejo 6: Couldn’t get into the game at all in the opening period but improved significantly when the game opened up after the break, showing his passing ability to launch several attacks.

Guedes 7: Made a pacy run to spark Valencia’s only sustained first half attack and was by far the biggest threat in the second half, regularly getting past Semedo to create danger. Had a hand in the goal.

Rodrigo 7: Had an early shot blocked and proceeded to work hard and intelligently to link midfield with attack. Took his goal well at the near post and showed a good understanding with Guedes.

Zaza 6: Could not have done more running but a bit of a headless chicken. Shot wide when Valencia broke immediately after Barca’s ‘ghost goal’ and volleyed a presentable chance over the bar with the last kick.

SUBS

Pereira 6: Came on as a late sub and had a couple of dangerous runs down the right, firing a half-chance into the side-netting.

Vezo and Mina: Appeared too late to make an impact.

BARCELONA

Ter Stegen 6: Little to do in Barca’s goal. Might be slightly disappointed that he failed to cut out the cross for Rodrigo’s near-post goal.

Semedo 5: Made some good bursts down the right in the first half but struggled badly against Guedes after the break. Was beaten in the build-up for the goal and later substituted.

Umtiti 9: Immense. Set the tone by making a good block from Rodrigo’s early shot and continued in a similar vein throughout, concluding with a well-timed challenge in stoppage time. Won every ball that came near him with awesome strength and immaculate timing.

Vermaelen 7: More than solid on his first Barca league appearance for nearly two years. Dispelled fears of rustiness with a committed and confident display.

Alba 8: Always progressive down the left, repeatedly linking well with Iniesta, and produced a decisive finish after being superbly found by Messi for the equaliser. Non-stop running machine.

Rakitic 5: Gave the ball away for Rodrigo’s early chance and didn’t really improve. Had a long range shot easily saved but not much more in attack and was the first man replaced.

Paulinho 7: Impressive in the midfield battleground, working hard to deny Valencia possession and making several bursts into the penalty area. Had a powerful early shot tipped over and headed over a stoppage time corner.

Busquets 8: Superlative first half display, effortlessly controlling the midfield. Seemed to know exactly where the ball was going two seconds before anyone else. Less dominant after the break when the game became stretched.

Iniesta 6: Some touches of class from the skipper, especially a one-two with Messi which saw him shoot too close to Neto. As often happens these days, faded in the second half and was substituted.

Messi 8: Like an orchestra conductor, he directed everything his team did going forward. Outrageously unlucky to have a goal chalked off when Neto spilled his shot and conjured a delicious angled assist for Alba’s equaliser.

Suarez 4: Another very poor performance. Forced saves from Neto with a narrow-angled shot and a strike on the turn, but lost possession and was flagged offside far too often. A weak link.

SUBS

Deulofeu 4: Preferred to Alcacer from the bench but did little to justify that decision, repeatedly losing the ball and hitting the first defender with his crosses. Frustrating.

Denis 5: Came on for Iniesta and looked neat and tidy without offering any penetration into the box.

Vidal 6: Replaced the struggling Semedo and helped shore up the defence in the final stages.