Barcelona moved a point closer to winning LaLiga as the Catalans’ second-string were held to a goalless draw away to bottom-of-the-table Huesca on Saturday afternoon.
Lionel Messi was left out of the squad altogether, while Gerard Pique and Luis Suarez were missing through suspension and Sergi Roberto, Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic were rested with knocks ahead of Barca’s Champions League quarter-final second leg at home to Manchester United on Tuesday.
Ousmane Dembele returned for his first start since aggravating an injury against Lyon in the last 16 of the Champions League in March and the French winger missed the best chance of the game as he saw his shot saved by Roberto Santamaria with only the Huesca goalkeeper to beat from close range in the first half.
That opportunity was set up by 19-year-old midfielder Riqui Puig, who showed plenty of quality in the centre of the park for Barca, although he and Carles Alena sometimes struggled in a physical battle against the Aragonese outfit.
Malcom hit the post in the second half on what was an otherwise quiet afternoon for the Brazilian as Barca pushed for a winner late in the game.
Coach Ernesto Valverde sent on Philippe Coutinho, Jordi Alba and Arthur in the closing stages, but the LaLiga leaders could not find a breakthrough and the game ended goalless.
Barca now need just three wins from their last six to be confirmed as champions, while Huesca remain rooted to the bottom, five points behind 17th-place Valladolid.
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