Barcelona 1-0 Athletic: Part-timers rejuvenate side to grab win

One down, seven to go.

Barcelona knew they had to win, as they would have to in each of their last eight games, to give themselves the best possible shot of keeping the league title, all the while hoping Real Madrid would slip up.

The Catalans looked more lively than against Sevilla in the first half but still failed to create many clear cut chances.

The best fell to Luis Suarez after a great move involving Messi, Griezmann and Alba, but the Uruguayan’s flick was scramble away by the goalkeeper and his defence together.

Quique Setien threw Riqui Puig on in the the second half for Arthur, who started the game despite the rumours about a move to Juventus.

The young midfielder instantly made an impact and was soon joined by Ansu Fati, who replaced Antoine Griezmann.

It was a big nod by Setien to the youth team, with those players coming on before Rakitic and Braithwaite respectively. He was paid back by the energy and freshness they brought to the play.

Yet as much as the Barcelona fans cheered those decisions (online, the virtual stadium fans didn’t care much either way), it was, in the end, the much-maligned Croatian who broke the deadlock.

Messi’s shot in the box was blocked but Rakitic hared onto the rebound and bashed it across Simon into the far corner.

The Argentine, on the eve of his 33rd birthday, will claim the assist - his 250th for Barcelona in all competitions.

Messi entered the night on 699 career goals and nearly got his 700th with a low curling effort which skipped narrowly wide of the far post.

Raul Garcia could have spoiled the party on Sant Joan’s eve in Catalonia but headed wide after Ter Stegen flapped at a cross and the Spaniard was left with an open goal

Ansu missed similarly at the other end, hitting the post when he should have scored, but that as that, and Barcelona won the first of their ‘finals’, as they like to say here.