Barcelona's defeat to Valencia raised early doubts about Quique Setien's appointment and gave Real Madrid the chance to move three points clear at the top.
Valencia will provide Barcelona's new manager Quique Setien with his first true test and an opportunity to make his mark.
La Liga leaders Barcelona have chalked up a victory over rivals Real Madrid after establishing a record gap between first and second place.
Five goals in a wild second half saw Atletico Madrid beat Barcelona 3-2 to seal a Super Cup final spot against Real Madrid.
Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi are part of the potent Barcelona strike force that keeps them in the top slots of Spanish and European football.
French star Antoine Griezzman put Barcelona ahead with a lovely snap-shot from outside the area after a slick exchange with Lionel Messi on 14 minutes.
The game was less eventful than expected, with neither Barcelona nor Real Madrid ever really at their best and both, perhaps in the end, happier not to win than to lose.
A mistake by Barcelona's usually excellent goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen gifted Real Sociedad an equaliser in a thrilling La Liga contest.
Champions League: While Barcelona have secured qualification to the knockout stages, Inter Milan are level on points with Borussia Dortmund going into the final group stage matches.
Luis Suarez scored a goal with his backheel in a La Liga match against Mallorca and called it the "best goal of my career".
Son Heung-min scored a sublime contender for the Premier League's goal of the season during Tottenham's 5-0 rout of Burnley.
Lionel Messi scored his 35th La Liga hat-trick on Saturday as Barcelona thrashed Real Mallorca 5-2 to keep pace with Real Madrid at the top of the table.
After winning the Ballon d'Or for the sixth time, Lionel Messi said he is aware of how old he is and that retirement is approaching.
Jurgen Klopp believes Virgil van Dijk would have been a worthy winner of the Ballon d'Or but understands why Lionel Messi lifted it for a sixth time.
Lionel Messi claimed a record 6th Ballon d'Or and his son's reaction was what made the occasion even more memorable.
Lionel Messi top-scored in La Liga last season with 36 goals as Barcelona won the title. He did not have a great Copa America with Argentina, but his genius is undeniable.
FC Barcelona and RB Leipzig sealed their spots in the round of 16 of the Champions League while Liverpool and Chelsea will have to wait for the final round of group stage matches.
Argentina and Uruguay will face off on Monday evening in a match expected to pit Lionel Messi against his Barcelona strike partner Luis Suarez.
