Rakitic goal helps Barcelona beat Bilbao

Elsewhere, Las Palmas thrashed Granada 5-1 to top the table with six points from two matches ahead of Barca and Real Madrid on goal difference while Europa League holders Sevilla were held to a goalless draw at Villarreal. 

Croatia midfielder Rakitic glanced in Arda Turan’s cross to complete a sweeping move started by Luis Suarez and settle the visiting side’s nerves after a few early scares, including goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen giving the ball away in his own area. 

Messi started to make an impact in the second half after a relatively quiet first but twice missed the target. 

The usually prolific Suarez also endured a frustrating evening in front of goal, inexplicably failing to convert the simplest of chances at the end, taking too long to shoot with the net gaping and seeing his shot scrambled off the line. 

Las Palmas followed their 4-2 win at Valencia last week with a dominant display against Granada, Nabil El Zhar scoring twice in the 5-1 rout.

Midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng netted for the second game running after joining Las Palmas from AC Milan and dedicated his goal to the victims of last week’s earthquake in Italy that has killed at least 290 people. 

“I leapt off my seat at the goal because of the quality of the counter attack, the shot and because...he hit it with his heart,” said coach Quique Setien. 

Barca grew in confidence after the break and standin captain Lionel Messi spurned two chances while Suarez also failed to capitalise on a couple of clear opportunities and had a shot cleared off the line in injury time.Luis Enrique’s men almost lived to regret their profligacy as Bilbao’s Raul Garcia fired wide.