Ousmane Dembele celebrates scoring for Barcelona against Eibar Image credit: Getty Images
Ousmane Dembele celebrates scoring for Barcelona against Eibar Image credit: Getty Images

Ousmane Dembele came off the bench to score an equaliser as Eibar held on for a point against a Barcelona team missing Lionel Messi.

Messi watched on from the stands at the Camp Nou having picked up a knock in Barca’s win over Real Valladolid before Christmas and the Catalans struggled to create much without the Argentine in the side.

The hosts were presented with a golden opportunity to find the net after just eight minutes, though, when VAR was used to spot a foul on Ronald Araujo in the box. Martin Braithwaite, however, put his penalty wide of the target.

Braithwaite looked to have made amends when he swept home a first time finish from a Junior Firpo cross, but VAR showed the Danish striker was ahead of the ball when the pass was made and the goal was ruled out for offside.

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Dmitrovic saved from Dembele, who was played clean through by Pedri, seconds before Eibar took a shock lead, with Kike Garcia pinching the ball off Araujo and finishing past Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.

However, Barcelona responded through Dembele, who converted with his right foot after a pass to the back post by Firpo. Philippe Coutinho and Francisco Trincao were introduced as Barca looked for a winner, but Eibar held on for a point that keeps the Catalans in sixth place in La Liga.