Huesca and Barcelona played out an uneventful goalless draw in Saturday afternoon's La Liga clash at the Estadio El Alcoraz.

It was first against last in Spain's top flight, but a much-changed Barca could not record their 23rd league victory of the campaign as the points were shared on the afternoon.

The result means that Ernesto Valverde's side are now 12 points clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid, while Huesca remain bottom, five points off the safety of 17th position.

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Only Marc-Andre ter Stegen remained from the team that started Barca's 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Champions League during the week. There were first-team debuts for Moussa Wague and Jean-Clair Todibo, while Riqui Puig and Jeison Murillo both made their La Liga debuts.

There was first-team experience in the shape of Samuel Umtiti, Arturo Vidal and Malcom, though, while Ousmane Dembele also made the XI having recovered from a hamstring problem.

The first serious chance of the match came for Barca in the 17th minute when Dembele was released inside the Huesca box, but the Frenchman could not find a route past goalkeeper Roberto Santamaria.

The home side's stopper then made another smart save from the resulting corner, with Todibo's header looked to be heading for goal before it was tipped over the crossbar.

Huesca managed to beat the Barca press on a number of occasions in the first 25 minutes, but the league's basement side just lacked that piece of quality in the final third, making it comfortable for the likes of Umtiti, Todibo and Murillo to clear their lines.

Kevin-Prince Boateng sent a Dembele cross wide of the post 10 minutes before the break, but the offside flag came to the on-loan attacker's rescue as Barca's struggles in the final third continued.

Enric Gallego had a half-chance for Huesca in the 40th minute after working some space in a dangerous position, although the number 22's strike was never troubling Ter Stegen. Moi Gomez then missed the Barca goal from outside the box as the two teams headed down the tunnel at 0-0.

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Enric had a half-chance to put Huesca ahead in the 52nd minute, but the Spaniard saw his close-range attempt saved by Ter Stegen, before Umtiti had to clear a dangerous Gomez cross behind moments later.

Dembele then passed up a huge chance for the visitors as he sliced a cross from Wague wide of the post.

Opportunities were arriving as the match approached its hour mark, with Malcom hitting the Huesca post before Carles Alena saw his strike rebounded just wide of the home side's goal.

Jordi Alba and Philippe Coutinho both came off the Barca bench in the period that followed, while the hosts also made two substitutions as both went in search of a winner.

The champions were on the front foot for the majority of the final 15 minutes or so, but Huesca had their moments on the break and only a brilliant last-ditch challenge from Wague prevented Ezequiel Avila from having a clear opportunity in the final moments.

Barca will now switch their attention to Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against United at Camp Nou, while Huesca are next in league action away to Rayo Vallecano next weekend.

HUESCA (4-3-3): Santamaria; Galan, Pulido, Etxeita, Miramon; Gomez, Rivera, Junapi (Melero 60'); Ferreiro (Cucho 72'), Enric, Avila (Gallar 88')

BARCELONA (3-5-2): Ter Stegen; Murillo, Todibo, Umtiti; Wague, Alena (Arthur 80'), Vidal, Puig (Coutinho 67'), Malcom; Boateng, Dembele (Alba 67')