LaLiga leaders FC Barcelona restored their nine point-lead with a 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday evening.
Ronald Araujo missed out through suspension, with Jules Kounde taking his place at the back while Robert Lewandowski was back alongside Ferran Torres and Raphinha up top for Barcelona.
Torres almost gave the league leaders a perfect start in the first minute with a half-volley at the far-post following a cross-field ball, but his effort strayed wide.
The host began to ask questions of the Catalans after a quiet start and had a low shot by Inaki Williams pushed away for a corner-kick on the half-hour mark by Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
From the corner, Bilbao went inches close to the lead in which a powerful header by Raul Garcia bounced off the woodwork and rolled back into play as the Catalans scrambled to clear their lines.
Barca seized control minutes to halftime when Raphinha dropped a shoulder in the box and slammed home Sergio Busquets' angled pass, with the goal initially disallowed and awarded after a Video Assistant Review (VAR) review.
The league leaders should've increased their tally five minutes after halftime with a header in the area by Lewandowski following Alejandro Balde's cross, but he went wide of the mark.
With the match in the balance, the Blaugrana made a substitution midway in the second half and withdrew Torres for Franck Kessie to beef up the midfield.
Bilbao came close to drawing level when Alex Berenguer broke clear down the line and had his low shot from a tight angle tipped onto the post by Ter Stegen.
Ter Stegen came through for the Catalans again when he produced a superb outstretched save to smother Iker Muniain's curling shot for a corner.
Bilbao levelled with three minutes to go after Williams latched onto a ball over the top and thumped in, but the VAR checked and overturned following a hand-ball in the build-up.
The Catalans lived nervously as the seconds ticked by and needed relentless blocks on the goal-line by Ter Stegen amongst others to keep the host at bay and ensured the maximum points.
You must be Sign In to post and read comments.
Click here to register: Sign In