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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.

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Real Madrid98012061424
2GironaGirona97111911822
3Barcelona86201981120
4Athletic Bilbao9522169717
5Atletico MadridAtletico75111871116
6Real Sociedad84311610615
7Rayo Vallecano93421113-213
8Real BetisBetis83321012-212
9Valencia93241011-111
10Osasuna9315914-510
11Getafe82331013-39
12CadizCadiz9234812-49
13Sevilla8224131218
14Mallorca91531215-38
15Villarreal82241013-38
16Las PalmasLas Palmas822447-38
17AlavesAlaves8215612-67
18Celta Vigo8125813-55
19Granada81251321-85
20Almeria90361124-133

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