The Catalan visitors had the best of the early exchanges and looked as though they were going to have an easy time in Athletic's usually intimidating San Mames stadium after an early goal by Samuel Eto'o, but the Basques countered quickly and gave Barca as good as they got for the rest of the game.

"A draw was a fair result. Getting a point in Bilbao is always a reason to be happy," said Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard.

"This was an intense and equally balanced match. Both sides gave everything, both of us were looking for goals. I think it will have been an attractive spectacle for neutral spectators."

The draw means Barcelona have 23 points from their nine matches and a six point lead over second placed Sevilla, who have a game in hand and play at Real Zaragoza on Sunday.

Eto'o got his eighth goal of the season after just 11 minutes following an accurate long ball from Damia Abella, who was making his league debut for Barcelona.

The African Player of Year brought it down, touched it through the legs of Athletic defender Ander Murillo before the Cameroon ace went round his man and blasted the ball home.

However, Barca's lead lasted just three minutes.

Athletic's Spanish international wing back Aitor Del Horno initiated a counter-attack and Ismael Urzaiz nodded the punt forward to Francisco Yeste, who produced a splendid left-foot volley from an acute angle to even the score.

Del Horno squandered several good chances while Deco hit the crossbar for Barca in the first half and Henrik Larsson was also in the clear on two occasions in the second half but failed to find his usual clinical finishing skills.

Athletic played the last 11 minutes with 10 men after Carlos Gurpegui got two yellow cards in three minutes, both for fouls on Andres Iniesta, but Barcelona couldn't exploit the advantage despite Ronaldinho producing some of his trademark trickery. Iniesta came on at half time after Rijkaard decided to take off Deco, because he felt the hero of Porto's Champions League triumph last season was on the verge of losing control, having already been booked, "because of a lot of provocation by the Athletic players."

Reigning Spanish champions Valencia threw away their chance to go second when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Atletico Madrid.

Miguel Angel Angulo opened the scoring for Valencia after an awful defensive error by Atletico goalkeeper Leo Franco, who came out of his area to kick away a loose ball.

Marco Di Vaio picked the ball off the hapless Franco, leaving Angulo the relatively easy task of scoring.

Atletico were then reduced to 10 men after Veljko Paunovic, making his first start of the season, was sent off 15 minutes from the end after two yellow cards.

But Atletico grabbed a point thanks to the ever-dangerous Fernando Torres, who got his fifth goal of the season with 11 minutes to go.

Valencia have now gone seven games, in all competitions, without a win.

The night started on a grim note for the hosts with their Argentine playmaker Pablo Aimar being stretchered off and later transferred to hospital after an accidental kick in the face from Atletico's Pablo Ibanez, although he was later given the all-clear.

The rest of the Spanish fixtures take place on Sunday with among the most eye-catching being Real Madrid hosting their newly-promoted local rivals Getafe for the first time in league history.