DHAKA: Sergio Busquets broke Valencia hearts with a goal deep into stoppage time to steal a 1-0 win for Barcelona on Sunday.

Luis Enrique's team appeared set to lose further ground on La Liga leaders Real Madrid, who chalked up a club-record 16th consecutive win across all competitions against Malaga on Saturday.

But Busquets smashed home to rescue a largely laboured performance after Diego Alves blocked Neymar's header from Lionel Messi's chipped cross.

The game ended on an unsavoury note as Messi was struck by an object that appeared to be thrown from the Mestalla stands as Barcelona celebrated the winning goal, but the Catalan club can reflect on a hard-earned triumph that leaves them two points behind Real.

Barca were indebted to goalkeeper Claudio Bravo for fine saves that denied Valencia duo Sofiane Feghouli and Alvaro Negredo before Busquet's first La Liga goal for 14 months provided a sting in the tail.

Valencia coach Nuno Espirito Santo responded to last weekend's loss against Levante by replacing Carles Gil and Pablo Piatti with Dani Parejo and Feghouli in his starting XI, reports goal.com

Opposite number Luis Enrique elected an unusually robust Barcelona midfield featuring holding duo Sergio Busquets and Javier Mascherano, while former Valencia defender Jeremy Mathieu was preferred to Marc Bartra at centre-back.

BDST: 0854 HRS, DEC 01, 2014