Javi Varas saved a stoppage time penalty from Leo Messi to highlight his brilliant performance on the night, holding the defending champions to a scoreless draw at the Camp Nou.

It was a match of resilient defense, poor finishing and childish antics in the closing minutes. The good, the bad and the ugly.

The shutout confirms Sevilla’s status as La Liga’s best defensive side, with Marcelino’s men turning in an extraordinary display of total defense against Barcelona’s attacking total football.

Barcelona had scored 21 goals at home in the league this season, but were unable to make it 22, despite holding 75% possession and bombarding Javi Varas’s net with 21 shots throughout the match.

“The ball just didn’t want to go in today,” rationalized Barcelona forward David Villa.

The result sees they who shall not be named move to top of La Liga standings after their 4-0 win over Malaga, now a single point ahead of Barcelona.

Pep Guardiola’s 3-4-3 approach to the match, with Adriano playing as an attacking player on the right ensured total domination of the midfield, with Barcelona holding all meaningful possession throughout the match.

But Barca could not find the breakthrough, as Sevilla defended smartly to the width of the penalty area, shutting down and congesting everything through the middle in the final third.

The shots were there, but Barcelona collided with an impregnable defense and an inspired Varas, stopping everything thrown at him, in what will surely become the signature performance of his career.

Iniesta twice went close to netting for the Catalans, the first in the 6th minute as he fell just short of connecting onto Messi’s superb floated pass in the area. A quick shot off Adriano’s cut-back forced Varas into a reflexive kick save 4 minutes later, keeping the game at zero.

Valdes was called upon in the 20th minute to make a remarkable one-handed save on Jesus Navas’s effort after Dani Alves had carelessly flicked the ball to the Sevillano in the area.

Guardiola switched Adriano from the right side to a left back role, effectively stymieing the Sevilla attack. With Barcelona controlling the tempo, the chances continued on the other end.

Varas came out to make a sweeping save off the feet of Villa, as he looked likely to burst through. The Spain international had another opportunity denied by Varas just before the interval, as Adriano’s flowing run and link up with Iniesta saw the ball teed up for Villa, only for his shot to be kept out by the keeper’s feet.

Barca upped the tempo in the second half, besieging a resilient Sevilla defense, content to put everyone behind the ball and pray for a 0-0 draw. A bit cynical perhaps, but a testament to the attacking quality of Guardiola’s men.

Messi flashed a free-kick inches over the bar three minutes after the break, but was unable to break the deadlock.

Varas continued his fine form, keeping out Iniesta’s low shot with another save in the 54th minute.

Barcelona went gung-ho in the final quarter hour, throwing Pedro and Fabregas onto the pitch in search of the winning goal.

Chances continued to come, but there was simply no way past Varas. Black magic couldn’t break the spell cast on that goal.

Iniesta came close in the 73rd, getting a foot to the ball and looping it over an oncoming Varas, only to see his shot flick off the cross bar and fall harmlessly out of play.

Barca were handed a golden opportunity in the waning minutes of stoppage time, as the ref pointed to the spot and awarded a penalty kick for a foul committed by Fazio on Iniesta.

The ugly came out with that whistle, as Sevilla players protested the decision vehemently. Kanoute walked over to the spot and kicked away the ball, earning his first yellow. Some call it gamesmanship, but it was childish and an underhand trick to try and rattle Messi. He then took a swipe at Fabregas, provoking a fight and seeing red, further delaying the penalty.

Was there any doubt what would happen next? It was a Twilight Zone kind of night and Varas, cool as could be, dove left and parried away the penalty. The wall held.

There was time for more drama, as Navarro was given his marching orders for scything down Pedro just outside the area, reducing Sevilla to nine men. But the resulting free-kick was inconsequential and Sevilla preserved the 0-0 draw.

In the end, it was a game for the goalies, with Varas putting in the performance of a lifetime and Victor Valdes recording his sixth consecutive clean sheet, setting a Barcelona record for most minutes without conceding a goal at 607.

You can’t win ‘em all, but with a defense as robust as Valdes has been showing, you won’t lose many either. It’s a long season ahead and one point is a pittance on the path towards La Liga glory.

Barcelona travel to Granada next Tuesday to take on the recently promoted side in what is predicted to end in a mountain of goals.

Hell hath no furry like a forward scorned.

Article written by Barcaloco contributor Anson Woodring.  Follow Anson on Twitter at @ansonwoodring.

Full match highlights:

Barcelona – Sevilla 0-0 Highlights HD 22.10.2011 by iNfRaS0NiC