LIONEL MESSI came off the bench to fire in a late equaliser as Barcelona battled back from two goals down to draw 2-2 against Sevilla to remain unbeaten in La Liga.
Vincenzo Montella’s men netted in either half through Franco Vasquez and Luis Muriel, before Luis Suarez pulled a goal back in the closing stages.
The Catalan club threatened early on at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, with Andres Iniesta squandering a key chance in the seventh minute, before Suarez saw his shot go agonisingly wide moments later.
The warning signs then came for Barca, with Muriel heading wide from just a couple of yards out, before Joaquin Correa failed to hit the target with his own header in the 21st minute.
And their pressure finally paid off when Vasquez tapped home in the 36th minute, thanks to great work from Correa down the left flank.
The Argentinian played a delightful one-two with Sergio Escudero, before rolling the ball into the path of the Italian international, who made no mistake with the finish.
And Sevilla doubled their lead just four minutes into the second half, as Muriel dispatched a low drive in off the left-hand post.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen parried Escudero’s effort into the path of the Colombian, who powered in a low strike into the bottom corner thanks to a slight deflection off Samuel Umtiti.
And they should have been three up minutes later when former Manchester City winger Jesus Navas rounded ter Stegen, only for his effort to be blocked by Gerard Pique.
Navas then almost got on the score sheet yet again, but his low half-volley was expertly denied by the German goalkeeper before it could nestle in the bottom left corner.
Ivan Rakitic then clipped the outside of the post with a deft header, before Suarez pulled a goal back in the 88th minute after volleying in from close range.
And just 55 seconds later, Messi curled in an exquisite finish from outside the box after being found by Philippe Coutinho.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner silenced the home crowd, as Barca extend their lead over Atletico Madrid at the top of the table to 12 points.
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