Lionel Messi’s 94th-minute penalty moved Barcelona top of La Liga in dramatic fashion in a pulsating 3-2 win at Valencia on Saturday.
However, victory came at a cost for Barca as a tearful Andres Iniesta suffered ligament damage in his right knee that could keep him out for several months.
Messi netted twice and his opener midway through the first half was allowed to stand despite Luis Suarez straying into an offside position.
Valencia hit back with two goals in six second-half minutes through on-loan Barca winger Munir El Haddadi and Rodrigo.
However, Suarez levelled and was then upended inside the area by Aymen Abdennour to allow Messi to hold his nerve and slot past penalty-stopping specialist Diego Alves for all three points.
PREMIER LEAGUE
North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur were both held to goalless draws on Saturday, handing Manchester City the initiative in the nascent Premier League title race.
Spurs drew 0-0 at Bournemouth, before Arsenal were held at home by promoted Middlesbrough, nudging Arsene Wenger’s side a point above previous leaders City, who host Southampton on Sunday.
Elsewhere, Ahmed Musa, Shinji Okazaki and Christian Fuchs were all on target as champions Leicester City ended a three-game winless run by crushing Crystal Palace 3-1.
Sixth-place Everton squandered a chance to make ground on the leading sides in a 2-1 defeat at Burnley, who took a 39th-minute lead when Maarten Stekelenburg’s blunder gifted Sam Vokes a tap-in.
Yannick Bolasie equalised just before the hour with his first Everton goal, but Scott Arfield struck at the death to condemn Ronald Koeman’s men to a fourth league game without victory.
Xherdan Shaqiri scored two stunning goals – the first a free-kick – as Stoke City won 2-0 at Hull City to climb out of the relegation zone at their hosts’ expense.
Sunderland remain rock bottom after Winston Reid’s goal deep into stoppage time earned misfiring West Ham United a 1-0 win at London Stadium.
Swansea City stayed second-from-bottom after Bob Bradley’s first home game as manager concluded in a 0-0 draw with Watford.
An 81st-minute Gareth McAuley goal prevented Liverpool from provisionally going top in the Premier League as they defeated West Bromwich Albion 2-1 on Saturday.
Needing a two-goal win to move above leaders Arsenal, Liverpool took a 2-0 lead through Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho, but McAuley’s strike left them in second place on goal difference.
BUNDESLIGA
Borussia Dortmund have now gone three Bundesliga games without a win although they fought back from two goals down to draw 3-3 at Ingolstadt and sit sixth.
Bayern Munich extended their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to three points after getting back to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach.
Arturo Vidal and Douglas Costa ensured Carlo Ancelotti’s team won in the league again after back-to-back draws, and took full advantage of slip-ups from rivals Cologne and Borussia Dortmund to put some daylight between themselves and their challengers at the top of the table.
Share with us your thoughts by commenting below, using #360fans on Twitter or getting in touch via Facebook.
1 / 12
2 / 12
3 / 12
4 / 12
5 / 12
6 / 12
7 / 12
8 / 12
9 / 12
10 / 12
11 / 12
12 / 12
