Barcelona are facing the possibility of failing to qualify for the knockout round of the Champions League for the second year in succession, with Inter Milan claiming a point in a 3-3 draw at Camp Nou on Wednesday night.
The Catalan giants entered the match knowing that only a win would give them a realistic chance of advancing to the last-16 stage of the competition.
A first-half Ousmane Dembele effort sent Barcelona ahead, but Inter turned the match around in the second half through Nicolo Barella and Lautaro Martinez to lead 2-1 before Robert Lewandowski levelled late on.
The visitors were not finished, though, and looked to have won it with an effort from Robin Gosens, only for Lewandowski to make it 3-3 in the final exchanges.
Xavi's side, who remain third in Group E, three points behind Inter, are next in European action against already-qualified Bayern Munich on October 26, while the visitors will take on Plzen on the same night.
Barcelona had a scare in the eighth minute when Martinez broke into a forward position before firing towards goal, but his effort was just wide, and the offside flag was then raised shortly after.
Lewandowski had a header cleared off the line by Henrikh Mkhitaryan moments later, before Raphinha's effort from distance was deflected just over the crossbar.
Edin Dzeko hit the crossbar for Inter in the 16th minute, and Inter continued to look threatening in the first half, with Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen having to keep out a powerful drive from Denzel Dumfries in the 29th minute.
© Reuters
Raphinha was next to come close, firing a Lewandowski cross wide of the post, but Barcelona managed to make the breakthrough late in the first period.
A clever pass from Raphinha released Sergi Roberto, who delivered a low cross into the penalty box, and Dembele was on hand to tap home from close range.
Inter were level early in the second period, though, when Barella ran off the back of Gerard Pique before controlling a pass from Alessandro Bastoni and smashing past Ter Stegen.
The Italian side then had their second in the 63rd minute when Martinez navigated his way past Eric Garcia before firing the ball into the back of the net off both posts.
Lewandowski smashed the ball into the Inter goal in the 70th minute, but the offside flag was raised, before the Poland international had another two chances in the spell that followed.
Finally, Lewandowski struck in the 82nd minute, with the centre-forward's deflected strike finding a route past Andre Onana in the Inter goal.
Inter appeared to break Barcelona hearts in the final moments, with Gosens meeting a cross from Martinez to make it 3-2, but Lewandowski headed a late leveller to keep Barcelona's last-16 hopes just about alive with two rounds of fixtures left.
Kristjan Asllani actually had a golden chance to win it for Inter on the counter-attack late on, but Ter Stegen made a huge save as it finished 3-3.
Matt Law
