Barcelona v Atletico Madrid player ratings: Gerard Pique 8, Lionel Messi 7; Jan Oblak 8, Luis Suarez 6

La Liga's top two sides draw 0-0 at Camp Nou

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  BARCELONA RATINGS: Marc-Andre ter Stegen - 8: Had to be lively to block Luis Suarez just after half-hour mark and then Carrasco minutes later – then again from Suarez with his left hand. Like Oblak at the opposite end in a competitive game, he was on form against Atletico’s organised anarchy. AP

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  Oscar Mingueza - 5: On the side with 64 per cent of possession yet kept busy by the fast and direct Carrasco. Struggled as Atletico had the better of the first half and replaced at half time. EPA

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  Gerard Pique - 8: Marking a very determined Suarez in the Camp Nou sun. Blocked a Carrasco shot before half time and didn’t mislay a single pass. Headed a Messi ball wide after 63 as Messi – and his team – came to life. Yellow card after 82 after stopping the troublesome trickery of Joao Felix. AFP

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  Clement Lenglet - 7: Busy in the first half as part of Barca’s three-man central defence, but didn’t make a single error. Headed a Messi free-kick high and wide just after break when he’d have been better leaving the header to Araujo. AP

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  Sergio Busquets - 6: Limped off with a blooded nose after 30 minutes following a head clash with Savic. He did come back on the pitch but worryingly went back down. Getty

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  Sergino Dest - 7: Showed pace but the space between the American and Mingueza was what Atletico tried to exploit with long balls. Only 20 and in his first season, but he’s becoming an important player for the young Catalan side. AFP

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  Frenkie De Jong - 7: Switched to position of Busquets after his injury and became, at 23, the most experienced head in Barca’s midfield alongside two 18-year-olds. AFP

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  Pedri - 7: Twisted and turned on his 50th Barca appearance. Attacked and made key defensive blocks. A superb first season for the Canarian, but will he end up a league champion? AP

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  Jordi Alba - 7: Trippier had the measure of the Catalan who is usually adept at finding space down the left and ultimately combining with Messi. Went wider as the game went on and found more success, none more than when he crossed beautifully for Dembele after 84 minutes. Booked. AP

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  LIonel Messi - 8: Every Barca attack went through their best player. Had got away from Saul after 34 but was fouled and the Atletico player carded. Took on six visiting defenders and shot wide with his left foot in the best moment of the first half. He struck an 89th minute free-kick just wide – though the excellent Oblak likely had it, and everything else, covered. AFP

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  Antoine Griezmann - 6: Struggled to find space against Atletico’s three deep-playing central defenders and barely featured. Better in second and that’s probably why he stayed on the pitch. Getty

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  SUBS: Moriba Kourouma - (On for Busquets 32') 7: Attack-minded and physical midfielder, 18, and despite his inexperience he got an hour after replacing the injured Busquets. Booked for a late challenge. AP

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  Ronald Araujo - (On for Mingueza 45') 7: Put the ball in the net with a header after 69 but he was well offside. Solid and impressive. A big reason why his team were far better in the second half than the first. Reuters

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  Ousmane Dembele - (On for Dest 75') 6: Had Barca’s best chance but headed an Alba cross over. EPA

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  Sergi Roberto - (On for Gonzalez 75') 6: Couldn’t help break the deadlock. AP

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  ATLETICO RATINGS: Jan Oblak - 8: Untested for most of the first half but may have pulled off one of the saves of the season when getting a finger a tip to Messi’s effort that looked destined for the back of the net. The Slovenian then proved his world-class calibre once more when pushing a free-kick wide of the post.

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  Stefan Savic - 7: Read the play well to intercept passes quickly and adjusted well to moments where Barca tried to get in behind with clever movement. Solid. EPA

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  Felipe - 7: Alert to the danger and often in the way of intricate Barcelona passing moves. The Brazilian ensured that Barca’s frontmen were shutout for most of the game. EPA

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  Mario Hermoso - 7: The centre-back found himself up the pitch in the first half and almost registered an assist when driving the ball across the box into Correa. At the other end, the 25-year-old was just as influential, getting in the way of what looked to be a certain goal from Moriba’s effort. EPA

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  Kieran Trippier - 6: A chess match between Trippier and Alba ensured neither full-back were much of an influence but the English defender could have done more to stop Alba getting crosses into the box at times. EPA

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  Koke - 7: A solid display as usual from the Atletico veteran, acting as the anchor between the midfield and defence. Getty

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  Marcos Llorente - 6: Defended well throughout but made it too easy for ter Stegen when finding space inside the box from a cross. The end product wasn’t there for a player who has been one of the best performers in La Liga this season. EPA

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  Thomas Lemar - The Frenchman looked bright before being forced off with an injury early on. EPA

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  Yannick Carrasco - 8: - If Atletico were going to score, it was going to be through this man. Carrasco constantly asked questions of the Barcelona defence with runs in behind and his confidence on the ball. Atletico’s best-attacking player on the day.

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  Angel Correa - 6: Worked hard and was able to craft some chances with good movement. The striker will be wondering how he didn’t score when Gerard Pique made an excellent block in the box. AFP

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  Luis Saurez - 6: Unable to effect the game against his former club and failed to trouble Ter Stegen. Getty

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  SUBS: Saul Niguez - (On for Lemar 13') 6: Not involved much on the offensive front with Atletico's priority on containing Barcelona’s attacking threat. Replaced in second half with game in balance. AFP

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  Joao Felix - (On for Saul 67') 6: Struggled to find any space after coming on. AFP

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  Geoffrey Kondogbia - (On for Correa 73') 6: Made some strong runs through the middle of the park, creating some dangerous openings but the league leaders were unable to convert. EPA

La Liga title rivals Barcelona and Atletico Madrid drew a blank in Saturday's clash at the Nou Camp.

The hosts would have gone top with a victory but the 0-0 draw means Diego Simeone's team preserve their two-point advantage at the top, with three matches remaining.

However, city rivals Real can join them on 77 points if they can win Sunday's match against fourth-placed Sevilla.

The visitors had the best chances before half-time, with Barca – and Lionel Messi in particular – looking more threatening after the break.

Atletico's Thomas Lemar had an early chance before the France international midfielder was forced off with an injury in the 18th minute, replaced by Saul Niguez.

Angel Correa threatened for the Rojiblancos, who were playing away for the third successive match, before Marc Andre ter Stegen denied Marcos Llorente.

Atletico's former Barca star Luis Suarez was the next to be denied by the Germany goalkeeper, before Felipe was off-target with a shot.

However, Ronald Koeman's team did most of the creating in the second half of a tight contest.

Saul was himself replaced by Joao Felix in the 68th minute, the Portugal international introduced from the bench for a third successive match as he steps up his return to full fitness following ankle trouble.

Messi, who had fired wide in the first half, saw a free-kick saved by Jan Oblak, before Ousmane Dembele headed over for the home side.

Messi came closest to finding a winner in the closing stages – but the Argentinian was narrowly wide with a 25-yard free-kick.