Barcelona ratings v Valladolid: Messi and Dembele 7, Griezmann 5, Lenglet 4

A stoppage-time strike from Ousmane Dembele takes Barca back up to second

Barcelona's German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen enters the pitch during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Valladolid FC at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Pau Barrena / AFP

Valladolid's Spanish defender Nacho Martinez (L) challenges Barcelona's US defender Sergino Dest during the La Liga match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Pau Barrena / AFP

Barcelona's Oscar Mingueza in action with Real Valladolid's Kenan Kodro. Albert Gea / Reuters

Barcelona's Dutch midfielder Frenkie De Jong (R) vies for the ball with Valladolid's midfielder Roque Mesa (L) during the La Liga match at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Alberto Estevez / EPA

Barcelona's French defender Clement Lenglet (R) challenges Valladolid's Spanish midfielder Roque Mesa during the La Liga match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Pau Barrena / AFP

Barcelona's Spanish defender Jordi Alba runs with the ball during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Valladolid FC at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Pau Barrena / AFP

Barcelona's Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets (L) challenges Valladolid's Spanish midfielder Ruben Alcaraz during the La Liga match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Pau Barrena / AFP

Barcelona's midfielder Pedri (R) vies for the ball with Valladolid's defender Bruno Gonzalez (L) during the La Liga match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Alberto Estevez / EPA

Barcelona's Lionel Messi in action against Real Valladolid's Ruben Alcaraz. Albert Gea / Reuters

Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann in action during the La Liga match against Real Valladolid. Albert Gea / Reuters

Valladolid's Spanish defender Javi Sanchez (L) challenges Barcelona's French forward Ousmane Dembele during the La Liga match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Pau Barrena / AFP

Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele celebrates with teammates after scoring against Real Valladolid. Albert Gea / Reuters

Barcelona players react after after scoring during the La Liga match against Real Valladolid FC at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Pau Barrena / AFP

Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele celebrates with Lionel Messi and Riqui Puig after scoring against Real Valladolid. Albert Gea / Reuters

Barcelona's Portuguese forward Francisco Trincao (R) challenges Valladolid's Spanish midfielder Ruben Alcaraz during the La Liga match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Pau Barrena / AFP

Barcelona's Martin Braithwaite (L) vies for the ball against Valladolid's Marcos Andre de Sousa (R) during the La Liga match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Alberto Estevez / EPA

Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele struck in stoppage time to snatch a vital 1-0 win at home to Real Valladolid in La Liga on Monday to pull his side one point behind leaders Atletico Madrid.

Valladolid produced a disciplined yet bold performance and could have taken an early lead when Kenan Kodro headed against the bar, while Roque Mesa had two clear sights at goal from outside the box but failed to hit the target each time.

Barca came close to scoring right before halftime when their former goalkeeper Jordi Masip palmed a strike from Pedri on to the post.

The keeper thwarted Dembele in the second half and then watched on in relief as Antoine Griezmann headed the rebound just wide.

The Catalans were dealt a helping hand when Valladolid's Oscar Plano was shown a straight red card in the 79th minute for a tackle from behind on Dembele.

The sending off was fiercely protested by the visitors, who had appealed for a penalty earlier in the second half when the ball struck the hand of Barca defender Jordi Alba. However, the referee decided the handball was accidental after a VAR review.

Barca finally took advantage of having an extra man when French forward Dembele caught a loose ball in the air with his left foot, slamming it inside the near post.

A sixth consecutive league win took Barca back into second place and moved them on to 65 points, two above third-placed Real Madrid and one behind Atletico, who were beaten 1-0 at Sevilla on Sunday.

Barca visit Real Madrid next Saturday with the chance to go top of the table a day before Atletico visit Real Betis.