Barcelona’s charge towards the LaLiga title was held up after a much-changed side drew 2-2 at Celta Vigo, where Sergi Roberto was sent off.

With one eye on Saturday’s Copa del Rey final against Sevilla, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez started on the bench while Gerard Pique and Andreas Iniesta were rested.

Ousmane Dembele fired Barca ahead with his first LaLiga goal before defender Jonny Castro Otto equalised on the stroke of half-time.

Paulinho put the visitors ahead again just after the hour, by which time Messi had been sent on, but substitute Roberto saw red on 71 minutes for pulling down Iago Aspas, who made it 2-2 with eight minutes left.

Tweet of the match

Moment of the match

Ousmane Dembele had seen his impact limited by injury setbacks since a big money move from Borussia Dortmund. The Frenchman, though, showed just what he can do by cracking home a first LaLiga goal on the half-volley from the edge of the penalty area.

Star man – Iago Aspas

Iago Aspas capped a positive display with a late equaliser (Lalo R. Villar/AP)
Iago Aspas capped a positive display with a late equaliser (Lalo R. Villar/AP)

There may have been a touch of good fortune, not to mention a hint of handball, for his late equaliser, but Celta forward Aspas worked hard all night to stretch the much-changed Barca backline

Stat Attack

Thanks in part to a late goal-line clearance, Barca remain on course to go through the whole LaLiga campaign unbeaten, with 25 wins out of 33 matches so far.

Player ratings

Celta Vigo: Sergio Alvarez 7 (out of 10), Daniel Wass 6, Facundo Roncaglia 6, Sergi Gomez 6, Jonny Castro Otto 7, Brais Mendez 6, Jozabed 6, Stanislav Lobotka 6, Pione Sisto 6, Maxi Gomez 7, Iago Aspas 8.
Subs: Nemanja Radoja (for Jozabed, 73) 6, Emre Mor (for Sisto, 79) 6, Lucas Boye (for Mendez, 83) 6

Barcelona: Marc-Andre ter Stegen 8, Nelson Semedo 6, Yerry Mina 6, Thomas Vermaelen 6, Lucas Digne 6, Andre Gomes 6, Paulinho 7, Ousmane Dembele 7, Denis Suarez 6, Philippe Coutinho 6, Paco Alcacer 6.
Subs: Lionel Messi (for Coutinho, 60) 6, Sergi Roberto (for Andre Gomes, 61) 4, Aleix Vidal (for Dembele, 78) 6

Who’s up next?

Sevilla v Barcelona (Copa del Rey final, April 21)
Celta Vigo v Valencia (LaLiga, April 21)