An excellent performance from Luis Suarez helped a Lionel Messi-less Barcelona down Granada 4-1 on Sunday night at the Nuevo Los Carmenes in Granada.
The Uruguayan striker scored the opener and assisted on Paco Alcacer's match-winner before Ivan Rakitic and Neymar added late scores to earn Barcelona all three points. With the win, the Catalonians are back within two points of Real Madrid in the league table, however Real still have a match in hand.
Barcelona's performance was shades of fall 2015 when they played some of their best football of the 2015-16 season while Messi was sidelined with injury. There was no shortage of chances and Suarez and Neymar fully embraced their leading roles, while players like Andre Gomes, Rakitic and the much maligned Alcacer added to the attack.
Manager Luis Enrique opted to switch from the 3-4-3 he has preferred of late to the 4-3-3 he utilised up until February or so. With Messi suspended, both Andre Gomes and Rafinha were included in the starting XI. Gerard Pique's absence in defence meant that Jeremy Mathieu got a rare start at centre-back alongside Javier Mascherano.
Granada manager Lucas Alcaraz's five-man defence was a sturdy block at first and turned away some early Barcelona chances. Luis Enrique's early worries grew more serious on 17 minutes when Rafinha had to exit with a right knee injury, with Alcacer taking his place.
The Suarez/Neymar combo took a little time to warm up but once they did, it was trouble for Granada. The first major chance arrived midway through the half when Neymar dashed down the left side and cut back for Suarez, who floated a chip over the head of Granada goalkeeper Memo Ochoa, only for the ball to hit the crossbar and bounce out.
Minutes later the Mexican stopper made a fantastic double save to deny the Uruguayan striker after some good work between first Suarez and Rakitic and then Alcacer. Ochoa was not done frustrating Suarez. Just after the half-hour mark the former Liverpool man received a ball and bulled his way toward goal but once again was denied by the former Malaga man.
Finally right before half-time Suarez got the better of Ochoa and gave Barcelona a 1-0 heading into the break. Jordi Alba played a superb diagonal ball to Suarez, who had Ochoa caught in no man's land and chipped over the Mexico international for the goal.
It looked likely that Barcelona would tack on a second goal at the onset of the second-half, but on what was their first real chance of the match, Granada stunned the visitors and drew level 1-1 through Jeremie Boga, who had come on at intermission. The Frenchman received a ball between Mathieu and Sergi Roberto and raced toward goal before sweeping a shot past Marc-Andre ter Stegen.Barcelona were chagrined by the Granada goal and it took them a few minutes to regroup, but once they did Luis Enrique's well-oiled machine returned. It was led by Suarez, who crafted Barcelona second by playing a ball to the streaking Alcacer and the former Valencia man stroked in past Ochoa to hand Barcelona a 2-1 lead.
Still, it was just a one-goal game as time ticked into the final quarter-hour and Granada were unafraid to try Ter Stegen from distance in hopes of an equaliser. The speed of the Granada forwards kept the Barcelona defence on their toes and made for an uneasy final stretch for Luis Enrique and his staff.
Granada's comeback hopes took a hit though in the 82nd minute when Uche was sent off with his second yellow just minutes after collecting his first. Almost poetically, Barcelona then put the match to bed seconds later as some good work from Neymar ended with Rakitic gathering a loose ball and firing a shot that deflected off Lomban and rolled in past Ochoa for the 3-1 lead.
Neymar then got into the act in the match's final seconds by finishing an Alcacer cross at the far post to cap the 4-1 final.
Barcelona return to league action on Wednesday at home versus Sevilla.
Match Sheet:
1.- Granada: Ochoa; Foulquier, Saunier, Lomban, Gaston Silva (Cuenca, min. 78), Hector; Angban (Boga, min. 46), Uche, Wakaso; Kravets (Adrian Ramos, min. 56), Pereira
4.- Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Mascherano, Mathieu, Jordi Alba; Busquets, Rakitic (Alena, min. 87), Rafinha (Alcacer, min. 17); Andre Gomes (Iniesta, min. 67), Luis Suarez, NeymarGoals: 0-1, min. 44: Suarez; 1-1, min. 50: Boga; 2-1, min. 64: Alcacer; 1-3, min. 83: Rakitic; 1-4, min. 92: Neymar
Referee: Jaime Latre (Aragon).
Yellow Cards: Sergi Roberto (Min. 29) for Barcelona, Lomban (Min. 59) for Granada, Alba (Min. 61) for Barcelona, Rakitic (Min. 77) for Barcelona, Uche (Min. 79) for Granada, Uche (Min. 82) for Granada
Red cards: Uche (Min. 82) for Granada
Stadium: Los CarmenesAttendance: 22,524
