Barcelona struck the woodwork twice but were unable to make a winning start to 2016 as they were held to a goalless draw at local rivals Espanyol.
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez each hit the frame of the goal for Barca but otherwise the reigning European and Spanish champions produced few moments to savour against their determined rivals as the spoils were shared.
Espanyol struggled to create openings themselves but were more than worthy of the draw and become only the fifth team to take points off Barcelona this season in the league.
Barca have 39 points, a point more than Atletico Madrid, with both having played 17 games. Third-placed Real Madrid are on 36 points and play away to Valencia on Sunday.
Espanyol also ended a run of 11 straight games of at least one goal from a member of Barcelona’s strike trio of Messi, Suarez and Neymar, who combined for 137 goals in 2015.
“They played well and with the intensity we expected,” Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said.
“Espanyol always plays with that level of physicality, and it is always easier to destroy than create. The result was fair given what both teams generated, even though we had our chances.”
Espanyol’s pressure succeeded in disarming Barcelona’s talented attack for most of the match.
“We have drawn against the best team in the world,” said Espanyol coach Constantin Galca, whose team provisionally edged into 11th place after his third match in charge.
“I’m satisfied with our work in defence, but we are still lacking in attack,” the former Espanyol player said. “We have to create more scoring chances.”
In one of its most subdued halves this season, Barcelona could seriously threaten Pau Lopez’s goal only late in the first half when Messi earned a foul and proceeded to curl his free kick off the corner of the goalframe.
Otherwise, the opening stretch was controlled by Espanyol’s defence, with tempers momentarily flaring between Alvaro Gonalez and Barcelona’s Javier Mascherano as both were booked for shoving.
The tone changed briefly after halftime when Suarez dribbled through the area and laid off for Neymar, whose shot from close range was blocked by defender Victor Alvarez.
