MX23RW : Monday, February 1 19:16:36| >> :60:1880:1880:
Jan 9, 2021 at 5.30pm UK at Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes
GranadaGranada
0-4
BarcelonaBarcelona

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

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

Result: 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:cQx

How you voted: Granada vs Barcelona

Granada
12.8%
Draw
12.8%
Barcelona
74.4%
180
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Lionel Messi in action for Barcelona on January 3, 2021
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Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Atletico MadridAtletico19162140103050
2Barcelona20124441182340
3Real Madrid20124435181740
4Sevilla20123528161239
5Villarreal2181122920935
6Real Sociedad2188532191332
7Granada218582434-1029
8Real Betis208392634-827
9Levante206862929026
10Celta Vigo216782431-725
11Athletic Bilbao2073102725224
12Getafe206681723-624
13CadizCadiz216691931-1224
14Valencia215882729-223
15EibarEibar214891723-620
16Real Valladolid214892132-1120
17Osasuna204791929-1019
18AlavesAlaves2147101829-1119
19ElcheElche193881626-1017
20Huesca2121091730-1316

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