Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann score twice each as Barcelona rout Granada

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Spain Soccer La Liga
(Image credit: Jose Breton)

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.

PA Staff