MX23RW : Monday, December 23 01:06:22| >> :120:6706:6706:
[monks data]
Granada logo
La Liga | Gameweek 18
Jan 9, 2021 at 5.30pm UK
Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes
Barcelona logo

Granada
0 - 4
Barcelona


Soldado (45'), Suarez (73')
Vallejo (78')
FT(HT: 0-3)
Griezmann (12', 63'), Messi (35', 42')
Mingueza (49'), Busquets (82'), Alba (87')

Messi, Griezmann score twice as Barcelona thrash 10-man Granada

Messi, Griezmann score twice as Barcelona thrash 10-man Granada
© Reuters
The 4-0 success took Barca third in LaLiga as Lionel Messi moved to the top of the season's scoring charts.

Barcelona moved third in LaLiga with a comfortable 4-0 win at Granada, who finished with 10 men.

Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi each scored twice as Ronald Koeman's men extended their unbeaten run to eight matches.

Barcelona were forced into a couple of defensive changes, with Oscar Mingueza replacing the suspended Clement Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti also starting after Ronald Araujo was injured during the warm-up.

Granada had an early chance when Antonio Puertas' shot was tipped over by Barca keeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.

Barcelona, though, were soon ahead when Antoine Griezmann slotted home in the 11th minute. The Frenchman was in an offside position but the goal was given as Granada forward Roberto Soldado sliced the ball to him.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi (right) celebrates after scoring against Granada
Lionel Messi (right) was on target again for Barcelona (Jose Breton/AP)

Messi doubled Barcelona's lead in the 35th minute. Griezmann turned provider with a forward run into the Granada half before feeding the Barcelona captain, who placed a shot into the top corner.

The Argentina playmaker all but wrapped things up two minutes before half-time with a well-taken free-kick.

With a defender on the floor behind the wall, Messi instead shot low into the far corner on the other side of the goal which saw him become LaLiga's top scorer this season on 11.

Granada looked to regroup at the break and had another opening early in the second half, but Ter Stegen saved Antonio Puertas' shot from just inside the penalty area.

Frenkie De Jong sent a shot over the crossbar after running to the edge of the Granada penalty area.

It was 4-0 in the 63rd minute when Griezmann collected a pass from Ousmane Dembele to send an angled half-volley into the net.

With the job done, Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman gave Messi a rest as Martin Braithwaite came on for the closing stages.

In the 78th minute, Granada had substitute Jesus Vallejo sent off for tripping Braithwaite on the edge of the penalty area.

Denmark forward Braithwaite almost added a late fifth, but fired just wide after being picked out by Junior Firpo.

ID:429887: cacheID:429887:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:7540:
Written by
P A
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Lionel Messi in action for Barcelona on January 3, 2021
Read Next:
Saturday's La Liga predictions including Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Atletico MadridAtletico18125133122141
2Real Madrid18124241182340
3Barcelona19122551222938
4Athletic Bilbao19106329171236
5Villarreal188643430430
6Mallorca199371921-230
7Real Sociedad187471613325
8GironaGirona187472625125
9Real BetisBetis186752122-125
10Osasuna186752327-425
11Celta Vigo187382728-124
12Rayo Vallecano185762021-122
13Las PalmasLas Palmas186482327-422
14Sevilla186482027-722
15Leganes184681728-1118
16AlavesAlaves184592130-917
17Getafe183781115-416
18Espanyol1843111630-1415
19Valencia172691626-1012
20Real ValladolidValladolid1833121237-2512


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!