Lionel Messi scored on his club-record 506th La Liga appearance but Barcelona could only bounce back from their Champions League defeat by Paris St-Germain with a draw against Cadiz.
Messi’s first-half penalty after Pedri was felled was cancelled out by Alex Fernandez’s last-minute penalty.
Cadiz’s equaliser, from their only shot on goal, ended Barca’s seven-match-winning run in La Liga.
Barca can now be overtaken in third if Sevilla beat Osasuna on Monday.
Barcelona could have moved to within six points of leaders Atletico Madrid if they had overcome Cadiz, who brought their four-game losing run to an end with their late dramatics at the Nou Camp.
Apart from Ruben Sobrino bundling an awkward shot wide just minutes after Messi gave Barca the lead, Cadiz rarely threatened.
But the hosts were left frustrated as Messi’s penalty – coolly taken after Pedri was sandwiched in a tackle between Salvi and Isaac Carcelen – was all they had to show despite controlling 81% possession and having 20 shots.
For the Argentine, who is out of contract at Barca in the summer and whose future at the Nou Camp remains a key point in the club’s upcoming presidential elections, it was a milestone day as he passed former team-mate Xavi to set a new club record for Barca appearances in Spain’s top flight.
Inspired Cadiz goalkeeper Jeremias Ledesma, who was instrumental in their 2-1 win over Barca in December, was again hugely influential as he made a string of saves to keep out Messi and Antoine Griezmann.
Frenkie de Jong and Pedri both also had goals disallowed before the break and Ousmane Dembele was lively for the hosts, but Cadiz earned their point with a stoic defensive display.
Clement Lenglet’s foul on Sobrino ultimately proved decisive to give away the late penalty, with Fernandez converting.
Line-ups
Barcelona
Formation 4-3-3
- 1ter Stegen
- 2DestSubstituted forMinguezaat 80′minutes
- 3Piqué
- 15Lenglet
- 18Alba
- 21de Jong
- 5BusquetsSubstituted forPjanicat 65′minutes
- 16GonzálezSubstituted forMachado Trincãoat 74′minutes
- 11DembéléSubstituted forPuigat 80′minutes
- 10Messi
- 7GriezmannSubstituted forBraithwaiteat 65′minutes
Substitutes
- 8Pjanic
- 9Braithwaite
- 12Puig
- 13Murara Neto
- 17Machado Trincão
- 19Fernandes Siqueira
- 23Umtiti
- 24Firpo
- 26Peña
- 28Mingueza
Cádiz
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Ledesma
- 20Carcelén
- 3Jiménez Jarque
- 4López Gutiérrez
- 22Espino
- 5GarridoSubstituted forMartín-Bejarano Serranoat 58′minutesBooked at 85mins
- 7Sánchez PonceSubstituted forAlejoat 62′minutesBooked at 82mins
- 21Sobrino
- 10PereaSubstituted forJonssonat 76′minutes
- 25IzquierdoSubstituted forFernández Iglesiasat 59′minutes
- 18NegredoSubstituted forLozanoat 59′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Jonsson
- 6Martín-Bejarano Serrano
- 8Fernández Iglesias
- 9Lozano
- 11Pombo
- 12Saponjic
- 13Gil
- 14Alejo
- 19Alcalá
- 24Malbasic
- 26Flere
- 37Martín Valerón
- Referee:
- Juan Martínez Munuera
Live Text
Match ends, Barcelona 1, Cádiz 1.
Second Half ends, Barcelona 1, Cádiz 1.
Offside, Barcelona. Óscar Mingueza tries a through ball, but Trincão is caught offside.
Clément Lenglet (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Anthony Lozano (Cádiz).
Attempt missed. Martin Braithwaite (Barcelona) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Óscar Mingueza with a cross.
Riqui Puig (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Anthony Lozano (Cádiz).
Offside, Barcelona. Riqui Puig tries a through ball, but Gerard Piqué is caught offside.
Goal! Barcelona 1, Cádiz 1. Álex Fernández (Cádiz) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Penalty conceded by Clément Lenglet (Barcelona) after a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty Cádiz. Rubén Sobrino draws a foul in the penalty area.
Offside, Barcelona. Frenkie de Jong tries a through ball, but Martin Braithwaite is caught offside.
Foul by Gerard Piqué (Barcelona).
Anthony Lozano (Cádiz) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
José Mari (Cádiz) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Attempt missed. Riqui Puig (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Óscar Mingueza.
Miralem Pjanic (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Rubén Sobrino (Cádiz).
Iván Alejo (Cádiz) is shown the yellow card.
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