Utter shame as Barca held by third-tier side

Football Soccer - Real Sociedad v Barcelona - Spanish Liga Santander - Anoeta, San Sebastian, Spain - 27/11/2016 Barcelona's Lionel Messi reacts.

Barcelona rested Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez and almost paid with an embarrassing defeat against third-tier minnows Hercules.

Daniel Mainz gave Hercules a shock second-half lead, but starlet Carlos Alena spared Barca’s blushes with a fierce 25-metre strike.

Messi (pictured), Neymar and Suarez were given the night off ahead of tomorrow’s El Clasico against Real Madrid at the Nou Camp.

Luis Enrique’s side struggled in the first-half as Paco Alcacer had their only meaningful effort on goal with a free-kick that was well saved by Hercules goalkeeper Ivan Buiges.

Hercules grew in confidence as the game went on and flashed a warning with a header that went just past the post.

Daniel Arraiz gave the Segunda B side a shock lead in the 52nd minute when he bundled the ball home at the back post.

The Spanish champions’ struggles in La Liga followed them to Segunda B side Hercules as a much-changed side made it three domestic games without a win after a disjointed performance.

Title rivals Real Madrid romped to a 6-1 second-leg victory over third-tier Cultural Leonesa and a 13-2 aggregate triumph.

Real Madrid, playing a leg earlier than everyone else ahead of their Club World Cup campaign, held a 7-1 lead after the first game and made short shrift of their opponents at the Bernabeu, opening the scoring after 23 seconds through Dominican forward Mariano.

James Rodriguez, one of few familiar names in the starting line-up as Zinedine Zidane made eight changes with an eye on tomorrow’s Clasico, added the second with a header in the 23rd minute before Mariano, on his debut, doubled his tally.

The visitors pulled one back through Yerey Gonzalez before the break, but Real dominated second half.