A late Lionel Messi double earned Barcelona a hard-fought victory over championship rivals Sevilla at the Nou Camp on Saturday night.
Following a goalless first period, the Argentina winger struck in the 73rd and 79th minutes to secure a valuable victory for the Catalans and apply pressure on bitter rivals Real Madrid at the top of the Primera Liga.
Frederic Kanoute pulled a goal back for Sevilla in the dying seconds.
Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard left out Ronaldinho following the Brazilian's ineffective displays of late.
His replacement on the left, Andres Iniesta, made an immediate impact.
The Spain midfielder received the ball from Messi, advanced into the area and found Henry with a neat cutback in the very first minute, but the Frenchman sent a weak shot harmlessly wide.
Two minutes later, Sevilla won a free-kick on the right-hand side of Barcelona's area and Daniel Alves whipped in a telling cross which Christian Poulsen headed wide.
However, the Dane had been in an offside position and his strike would not have counted.
Kanoute tested Victor Valdes with a fierce effort a minute later, but the former Tottenham striker was also offside.
At the other end, Messi sent a low drive just past the post as Barcelona threatened.
The Argentina forward, fresh from his inspired performance in Barcelona's 3-0 win over Olympique Lyon in the Champions League on Wednesday, was on form again and went past three defenders on seven minutes, only to see the ball run out of play before he could get a shot in.
Iniesta then saw a good effort deflected wide as Barcelona began to dominate proceedings.
But Sevilla came within inches of taking the lead on 21 minutes, when Kanoute's brilliant header grazed the crossbar following Ivica Dragutonovic's pinpoint cross.
France full-back Eric Abidal then forced Sevilla goalkeeper Andres Palop into an excellent reaction save with a crashing long-range effort on the half-hour mark.
Palop also did well to punch away a Deco free-kick as Barcelona searched for an opening goal.
Yaya Toure sent a low shot just wide from outside the box and Deco came even closer with a thunderous long-range effort just before the break, but the goal remained elusive after 45 minutes.
After the interval, Iniesta was again quickly involved.
The midfielder crossed from the left for the advancing Henry, but the France striker arrived just too late and was unable to connect with a header.
Henry then almost got on the end of Deco's free-kick on 55 minutes, but things were not quite working out for the former Arsenal striker.
Two minutes later, Mexico defender Rafael Marquez headed just wide from a corner as Barcelona began to take control of the game once again.
Fellow Mexican Giovani Dos Santos was then introduced by Rijkaard in place of Xavi.
The youngster slotted in on the left-hand side, with Iniesta dropping back into midfield.
Barcelona took a while to adapt following that change, but sprang into life with twenty minutes remaining.
Marquez found Henry with an exquisite long pass on 71 minutes and the Frenchman controlled brilliantly before sending a curled effort towards Palop's far corner, only to see the goalkeeper push the ball against the post and out to safety.
The frustration was obvious for Henry, who has now hit the post in three different league games this season, but has yet to register a Primera Liga goal.
But two minutes after his effort, the Frenchman brilliantly set up Messi for Barcelona's first goal.
Henry spotted the unmarked Argentinian at the far post and picked out the winger with a perfectly-weighted threaded through-ball, which the youngster controlled with his left foot and then smashed home with a stunning scissor-kick which gave Palop no chance.
Six minutes later, Barcelona doubled their lead after Giovani won a penalty.
Marquez flicked on a corner towards his compatriot, but the youngster was bundled over at the far post by Poulsen and Messi coolly fired home from the spot to give the Catalans a deserved two-goal cushion.
Barcelona continued to attack and youngster Bojan Krkic came on for Messi in the final minutes.
The Argentinian was given a standing ovation by the Nou Camp faithful, but there were a few nerves among the home crowd late on as Kanoute got away from Oleguer and scooped the ball over Valdes to pull a goal back for the visitors.
Sevilla finished the match on the attack, but Kanoute's strike proved to be only a consolation as Barcelona held on to move to within one point of Real Madrid at the top of the Primera Liga, albeit having played one more game.
