<p>La Liga champions Barcelona’s domestic struggles continued as they dropped points for the third game in a row, drawing 1-1 at home to Athletic Bilbao on Saturday after Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets had begun the match on the substitutes’ bench.</p>.<p>Substitute Munir El Haddadi averted a first home defeat for Barca in more than two years by sliding in an equaliser in the 84th minute, meeting a cross by Messi who had been sent on along with Busquets in the second half as Barca chased the game.</p>.<p class="CrossHead">Lead</p>.<p>Oscar de Marcos had given Athletic a deserved lead in the 41st minute with a volley after Inaki Williams had missed two clear chances to score for the Basque side.</p>.<p>Despite drawing at home to Girona and losing at minnows Leganes after starting without key first-teamers such as Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Samuel Umtiti, Barca coach Valverde made the eye-catching decision to field a team without midfield anchor Busquets and all-time top scorer Messi. The coach said the pair needed some rest to cope with a crammed schedule, with Barca visiting Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League next week.</p>.<p>“I have to judge the games we have coming up and we have four games in the space of 10 days, I have to think about what might happen and I thought Leo and Busquets had to rest, knowing that we have a very tough game on Wednesday,” Valverde told a news conference.</p>.<p>The Catalans made a strong start and had an early penalty appeal waved away when Philippe Coutinho went over in the area but Athletic soon started to put their stamp on the game.</p>.<p>Barca had sporadic chances down the other end, as Suarez struck wide from a free kick and was then thwarted by goalkeeper Unai Simon at point blank range, but Athletic made it third time lucky when De Marcos slid to convert Markel Susaeta’s cross.</p>.<p>Messi was brought on 10 minutes into the second period and Barca’s play instantly improved.</p>.<p>Athletic’s resistance finally caved in when Munir turned in Messi’s low cross and Ivan Rakitic had a final chance to win it late on for the Catalans, but sent the ball flying over the bar.</p>
<p>La Liga champions Barcelona’s domestic struggles continued as they dropped points for the third game in a row, drawing 1-1 at home to Athletic Bilbao on Saturday after Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets had begun the match on the substitutes’ bench.</p>.<p>Substitute Munir El Haddadi averted a first home defeat for Barca in more than two years by sliding in an equaliser in the 84th minute, meeting a cross by Messi who had been sent on along with Busquets in the second half as Barca chased the game.</p>.<p class="CrossHead">Lead</p>.<p>Oscar de Marcos had given Athletic a deserved lead in the 41st minute with a volley after Inaki Williams had missed two clear chances to score for the Basque side.</p>.<p>Despite drawing at home to Girona and losing at minnows Leganes after starting without key first-teamers such as Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Samuel Umtiti, Barca coach Valverde made the eye-catching decision to field a team without midfield anchor Busquets and all-time top scorer Messi. The coach said the pair needed some rest to cope with a crammed schedule, with Barca visiting Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League next week.</p>.<p>“I have to judge the games we have coming up and we have four games in the space of 10 days, I have to think about what might happen and I thought Leo and Busquets had to rest, knowing that we have a very tough game on Wednesday,” Valverde told a news conference.</p>.<p>The Catalans made a strong start and had an early penalty appeal waved away when Philippe Coutinho went over in the area but Athletic soon started to put their stamp on the game.</p>.<p>Barca had sporadic chances down the other end, as Suarez struck wide from a free kick and was then thwarted by goalkeeper Unai Simon at point blank range, but Athletic made it third time lucky when De Marcos slid to convert Markel Susaeta’s cross.</p>.<p>Messi was brought on 10 minutes into the second period and Barca’s play instantly improved.</p>.<p>Athletic’s resistance finally caved in when Munir turned in Messi’s low cross and Ivan Rakitic had a final chance to win it late on for the Catalans, but sent the ball flying over the bar.</p>