Iago Aspas’ late equaliser for Celta Vigo dented Barcelona’s title hopes.
Barca go top with the point but Real Madrid can establish a two-point lead if they beat Espanyol on Sunday.
Luis Suarez headed Barca in front from Lionel Messi’s clever free-kick but Fedor Smolov levelled from Okay Yokuslu’s pass.
Suarez then swivelled and smashed in a great strike – from another Messi pass – but his ex-Liverpool team-mate Aspas’ perfect low free-kick rescued Celta.
The hosts should have won the game deep into injury time but Nolito’s close-range shot was straight at Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Messi, who has not scored in three games, is still on 699 career goals for Barca and Argentina. But he did manage the 250th assist of his Barca career for Suarez’s second.
The 33-year-old is the top goalscorer with 21 and top assister with 17 in La Liga this season.
