FORGET MESSI AND ROTATION - IT WAS INDIVIDUAL MISTAKES THAT COST BARCA IN CELTA LOSS

The Argentine's absence is important, but the Blaugrana were defeated at Balaidos due to a number of costly errors on Sunday

Everything was set up for Barcelona to return to the top of La Liga. After Real Madrid were held to a shock 1-1 draw at home to Eibar earlier on Saturday, the Catalans knew a win would see them finish the weekend as league leaders.

But just like last season, everything went wrong at Balaidos. Then, Luis Enrique's side went down 4-1 to the Galicians. And this time, the Blaugrana lost 4-3 in a thrilling encounter.

Many blamed the absence of Lionel Messi for this latest loss, but they would do well to remember that Barca's 4-1 defeat at Balaidos had come with the Argentine attacker in the team for the full 90 minutes.

Others accused Luis Enrique of excessive rotation for this trip to Vigo as Jeremy Mathieu, Rafinha and Andre Gomes were all surprise starters. And there may be something in that because last season, the Asturian picked the same side for much of the season and did not appear to trust his substitutes. This term, however, he has rotated excessively.

In reality, though, individual errors cost Barcelona on Sunday. Celta took the lead after Sergio Busquets - below his best in recent times - failed to control a pass from Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Celta pounced. The second arrived as Gerard Pique afforded Iago Aspas too much space and allowed the forward on to his stronger foot. And the third was a Mathieu own goal.

Thus, Barca found themselves 3-0 down at half-time and in all sorts of trouble. The last time they had been on the wrong end of such a scoreline in La Liga had been back in 2001 and a comeback looked unlikely.

But Pique had other ideas. The centre-back dragged his side forward in the second half, headed home to pull a goal back and made his team-mates believe that they could get back into the game. Neymar then slotted home from the spot after Gomes was fouled in the area and even though Ter Stegen gifted the Galicians a fourth when he kicked the ball straight at Pablo Hernandez, it still went to the wire.

Again Pique went forward and pulled a goal back to make it 4-3 and the defender, in the role of unorthodox centre-forward, headed inches wide in stoppage time as he came so desperately close to what would have been a sensational hat-trick and also a dramatic late leveller.

If one Barcelona player did not deserve to lose on Sunday, it was he. However, individual errors proved costly for the champions in the end and Luis Enrique's side had given themselves too much to do after going in three goals down at the interval.

The defeat means Barca are in fourth, but they are only two points adrift of leaders Atletico and fierce rivals Real Madrid after seven rounds of matches. And after the international break, Messi will be back. So it is not all bad news for the Blaugrana.