VALENCIA: After being denied a legitimate goal, Lionel Messi made sure nobody would keep Barcelona from mounting a comeback against Valencia.

Messi was deprived of a goal after a mistake by officials in the first half of the top-of-the-table La Liga clash at Mestalla on Sunday.

His tame shot after half an hour was spilled by goalkeeper Neto and bounced over the line before the Brazilian dragged it back over but referee Ignacio Iglesias Villanueva allowed play to continue as, unlike other major European leagues, La Liga has refused to introduce the technology on cost grounds.

The Argentine forward and his team-mates remonstrated with the officials to no avail but still the Barca star had a big say in the game, laying on a perfect pass for Jordi Alba’s 82nd minute leveller in a 1-1 draw that preserved the Catalan side’s four-point lead.

Spain striker Rodrigo Moreno put Valencia ahead on the hour, sneaking ahead of Barca defender Thomas Vermaelen to score from close range before putting on an orange wig in tribute to the club’s late president Jaume Orti who passed away on Friday.

Barca lead the standings on 35 points, Valencia have 31 while Atletico Madrid are third on 27, level on points with fourth-placed champions Real Madrid.

“It was a monumental error by the referee,” Alba told Movistar. “Even I could see it was in from the middle of the pitch. We saw it on television during halftime. It was not a foul or something like that, which can be a matter of interpretation. They have to see this.”

Valencia had won nine straight in all competitions, with their last setback a 1-1 draw at city rivals Levante in September.

It was an even match at the packed Mestalla, with Barca playing better in the first half and the hosts threatening the most in the second.

“After the goal we had opportunities to put the game away, but in the end I think it was a fair result,” Rodrigo said.

Elsewhere, Earlier, Sevilla produced their second stunning comeback in five days by overcoming a 2-0 half-time deficit to win 3-2 at Villarreal.

In the first match since the club confirmed Sevilla boss Eduardo Berizzo had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, Villarreal’s players and fans showed their support for the Argentine before kick-off.

And just as in midweek against Liverpool when Sevilla came back from 3-0 down to snatch a dramatic late draw, goals from Clement Lenglet, Franco Vazquez and Ever Banega snatched all three points after Cedric Bakambu and Carlos Bacca had given Villarreal the lead.

Fifth-placed Sevilla have 25 points and are now four ahead of Villarreal in sixth.

Seventh-placed Real Sociedad drew 2-2 at home to second-bottom Las Palmas, while Athletic Bilbao were held by the same scoreline at fellow strugglers Deportivo La Coruna.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2017