Espanyol 1-1 Barcelona: 5 Talking Points

#4 Messi's benching was justified

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Ernesto Valverde knew the gamble he was taking when he decided to name Lionel Messi on the bench. With important games in the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League coming up, the last thing Barca's Argentine magician needed was a hotly-contested derby in the rain, with plenty of rough tackles flying around.

Messi is 30-years-old, and Barcelona are taking inspiration from how Zidane preserved Cristiano Ronaldo for the important games at the business end of last season. Credit must be afforded to Valverde, as none of Barca's previous bosses have been able to rest Messi and keep him happy.

Of course, once it seemed obvious that the game was taking a turn away from Barca's control, on came Messi. Even if the maestro was unable to salvage a win for Barcelona himself, the fact is that a solitary draw is hardly going to stop the Blaugrana's march to the La Liga title.