The Blaugrana welcomed Atalanta to the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys with a chance of taking top spot in the league phase, although that may mean very little in the grand scheme of things with a last 16 spot confirmed regardless.
Meanwhile, the Italians would need a win to join their hosts in claiming a top eight spot.
The lack of tension going into the game showed early only, as neither team pushed for an early goal.
The best chances were from Atalanta, but the efforts from Sead Kolašinac and Davide Zappacosta failed to challenge Wojciech Szczęsny in the Barca goal.
Mateo Retegui was next to try and open the scoring, as the visitors finally started to put some pressure on the Barca defence.
The Italian international was found just inside the box and tried to fire into the bottom of the goal, but Szczęsny managed to push the ball out for a corner.
Just as it looked like the game would be goalless at HT the ball was in the back of the net from a Zappacosta effort, but VAR intervened to keep the game level due to an offside in the build up.
Despite lacking much attacking intent before the interval, it was the hosts who opened the scoring within the opening moments in the second half.
Raphinha’s low pass into the middle of the box gave Lamine Yamal the easy task of slotting the ball into the bottom corner.
Yamal tried doubling the lead soon after with a chance from outside the box, but an Atalanta defender managed to block it.
Atalanta didn’t let that early goal dishearten them, as they soon got themselves back on a level footing when Éderson tried his luck from distance, with the midfielders audacious effort going in off the left hand post.
As quickly as they scored, they were behind again, as Ronald Araújo headed home a Raphinha corner to restore the hosts lead.
That wasn’t the final action of the game, as Marten de Roon found Mario Pašalić in the box, with the Croatian hitting a first time effort to restore parity.
The away side couldn’t find the vital goal to get all three points in the end, as Barcelona settled for second place in the UCL last 16.
Atalanta, on the other hand, missed the chance to claim a top eight spot and must now go through the knockout round.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Raphinha (Barcelona)
