Barcelona La Liga title hopes take a blow after late goal costs them victory at Celta Vigo

Suarez double puts Barca one point clear at the top of table but Real Madrid can move above them if they win against Espanyol on Sunday

Barcelona's Lionel Messi. Reuters

Barcelona's Luis Suarez, left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during their 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo on Sunday, June 27. AP

Celta Vigo's Iago Aspas celebrates his late leveller. Getty

Barcelona's Luis Suarez, centre, celebrates after scoring the opening goal. AP

Celta Vigo's Fedor Smolov celebrates scoring his side's first goal. Getty

Barcelona's Lionel Messi, right, under pressure from Iago Aspas of Celta Vigo. AP

Luis Suarez, right, celebrates scoring his second goal. Getty

Barca's Gerard Pique wins a header. Getty

Celta Vigo's Iago Aspas is mobbed by teammates after scoring the late equaliser. Reuters

Barcelona's Luis Suarez celebrates his second goal. AP

Barcelona's Lionel Messi passes the ball. AP

Barcelona's Luis Suarez shields the ball from Rafinha of Celta Vigo. AP

Spain striker Iago Aspas dealt a blow to Barcelona's La Liga title hopes by striking a late free kick for Celta Vigo to snatch a 2-2 draw as Quique Setien's side twice threw away the lead in a thrilling match.

The draw put Barca back on top of the table on 69 points after 32 games but Real Madrid, on 68, can go two points clear at the summit if they beat Espanyol away from home on Sunday.

Luis Suarez headed Barca in front in the 20th minute thanks to a piece of ingenuity from Lionel Messi, who looked certain to fire at goal from a free kick but instead lofted the ball towards his Uruguayan strike partner.

Russia striker Fedor Smolov equalised for Celta early in the second half, knocking in a pass from Okay Yokuslu to complete a quick counterattack after Barca's Ivan Rakitic had given the ball away.

But Suarez restored Barca's lead in the 67th minute after combining again with Messi, swivelling to fire into the bottom corner.

The second goal looked to have averted a second consecutive away draw for Barca after last week's goalless stalemate at Sevilla but Aspas won a late free kick after falling over the outstretched legs of Gerard Pique.

Celta's talismanic striker made the late opportunity count by sending a low drive around the wall and into the near bottom corner, flummoxing Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Celta should have won the game in added time when Nolito arrived at the far post with the goal gaping, but instead of tapping into the net his shot went straight at Ter Stegen.

“The feeling is a negative one,” said Suarez afterwards. “If we want to stay in the title race and have it in our hands we have to win all our games. But we now have to rely on Madrid to drop points.”

Celta are 16th on 34 points, the draw taking them eight points clear of the relegation zone.