Barca held to 1-1 draw at Bilbao

Valencia remain third in the standings on 15 points, one ahead of Atletico, but both sides could find themselves overhauled by the chasing pack of five teams who have still to play this weekend. Barca, who fell victim to third division Gramenet in the King’s Cup in midweek, were forced on to the back foot in the opening minutes at San Mames.

But Frank Rijkaard’s side weathered the early storm and took the lead against the run of play courtesy of the in-form Eto’O.

The Cameroon international cracked the ball past keeper Daniel Aranzubia after youth team defender Damia, who was making his debut for Barca in the league, had ballooned in a cross from the right.

But Bilbao were unflustered by the early setback and hit back just three minutes later when the highly rated Yeste equalised with a classy volley after centre forward Ismael Urzaiz had headed the ball over the static Barca defence.

Both sides pushed forward in the second half, but it was Bilbao who enjoyed what was probably the best chance to take the lead when the outstanding Yeste shaved the far post after controlling an Asier Del Horno cross with his toe.

Bilbao had to endure a nervous finale after midfielder Carlos Gurpegi was sent off for successive fouls on Barca substitute Andres Iniesta, but held on to join Atletico Madrid as the only two sides to have held the Catalans this season.

Claudio Ranieri’s Valencia received an early setback when inspirational playmaker Pablo Aimar was forced off the pitch with less than two minutes on the clock after receiving a blow to his face in an accidental clash with defender Pablo Ibanez.

The injury appeared to affect both teams and the game only really sparked into life after Miguel Angel Angulo put Valencia ahead midway through the second half when he slotted into the empty net after Atletico keeper Leo Franco was caught stranded outside the area.

But although they were reduced to 10 men with the dismissal of forward Veljko Paunovic five minutes later, Atletico grabbed a point when striker Fernando Torres drilled home from the edge of the area after wrong-footing the Valencia defence.

The match was Valencia’s seventh without a win, and is likely to add to the pressure on Ranieri after Wednesday’s humiliating King’s Cup loss to second division Lleida. (Reuters)