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Messi headed from a Jordi Alba center after his penalty in the first half was stopped to equal the mark that the great Brazilian put Santos.
But Messi was left frustrated when a stubborn Valencia forced a draw to leave Barcelona eight points behind leaders Atlético de Madrid, who beat Elche 3-1 earlier in the day.
“There were moments tonight with good football, we had full control of the game, especially after leading 2-1 where we tried to get third, but there were also moments when we lost the ball in the danger zones,” he said Barça coach Ronald Koeman.
“What worries me is that sometimes the team doesn’t know what the game is about.
“We know that we are a team that always likes to attack and score goals, but there are also times when we have to defend and control the game.
“But the race for the title is not lost yet, we are far behind, but it is a very difficult season for everyone. In two months, the situation may be totally different.”
Barcelona started slowly and scored a goal behind an indisputable header by Mouctar Diakhaby from a corner after half an hour.
Antoine Griezmann earned the penalty that led to Messi’s goal, which equaled the record, when the French attacker was pushed by José Gaya.
Messi’s penalty shot was stopped by Jaume Domenech, but the ball rebounded and from a dinked center by Alba, the Argentine forward headed the ball into the net to tie at Pelé’s height.
Barcelona took the lead thanks to a superb scissor kick from Uruguayan Ronald Araujo.
But the pressure from Valencia was rewarded when Maxi Gómez went ahead of Barça central defender Oscar Mingueza to convert a center and tie.
Philippe Coutinho launched a deflected shot with 12 minutes to go and Messi launched a deflected free kick, but Barcelona were forced to share the points.
On the other hand, Luis Suárez scored twice from close range in Atlético’s 3-1 win to move Diego Simeone’s team three points clear at the top.
In a tight first half at the Wanda Metropolitano, Atlético squandered a clear opportunity to take the lead when French forward Thomas Lemar aimed the ball directly at Elche goalkeeper Edgar Badia as the defense opened up.
Suárez was much more clinical in the 41st minute when the Uruguayan striker received the slightest of touches to direct a cross from Kieran Trippier that passed Badia to take the lead.
The former Barcelona and Liverpool striker reached out to put Yannick Carrasco’s pass into the net in the 58th minute.
A powerful header from Lucas Boye gave Elche hope in the second half but substitute Diego Costa, who does not hide his frustration at being relegated to the bench since the arrival of Suárez, shot from a penalty with ten minutes to go to close the three points of the Athletic.
“I’m very happy to be able to play again,” Costa told Movistar after the match.
“I have received some hard blows, but I always recover. It has not been easy, but I have enough strength to fight.”
Atlético have three points more than Real Sociedad who visit Levante later on Saturday.
Real Madrid face Eibar on Sunday at home.
gj-dj / iwd
