Granada 0-4 Barcelona: result, goals and summary

Many thanks for following the game with us tonight and we'll see you all soon for some more LaLiga action. 

A placid evening and comfortable win for FC Barcelona who move into third and now trail Real Madrid in the table by just 2 points. Madrid are in action later tonight in Pamplona. A very different looking Barcelona from that we saw in the early part of the season with Leo Messi now cutting a happier player on the pitch. 

That's the final whistle and Barcelona bag maximum points in Granada.

Eteki pulls up with cramp and the contest is momentarily halted. 

Two minutes of added time have been confirmed.

Braithwaite almost makes it five with the Danish striker just scooping the ball over the bar. 

Milla almost finds Sanchez for Granada but the ball is just overhit. Barcelona's game management in the second half has been excellent, never for a second offering the home side a foothold to get back into this game.

Jordi Alba carded too for Barcelona, dissent it would appear.

Into the final minutes of action here at Los Carmenes. Granada still looking for a way through the wall of black shirts but Barcelona playing with a resolve and confidence that was very much absent in the first months of the curtrent league campaign.

Busquets carded on his 600th appearance for FC Barcelona.

Fine footwork from Kenedy as he unleashes a left foot on target but Ter Stegen was alert and well positioned to grab the ball. 

Braithwaite strikes but the ball ricochets off Griezmann in an offside position. Dest off/Junior on for Barça.

Dangerous free for Barcelona against Granada who will play with ten men for the final stretch of the game. Pjanic poised to strike, the former Juve man drives the ball straight into the GCF wall.

The Zaragoza born is alleged to have pulled Braithwaite as the Danish striker looked to break into the box. 

Vallejo off

Granada have disappointed tonight and are a pale shadow of the side who impressed in the early stage of the 20/21 campaign.

Luis Suarez carded for protesting

Total, total domination and control from Barça here with Granada emotionally in tatters. Pedri and Dembele off with Trincao and Puig on for the men in black.

Barcelona have committed just one foul in 70 minutes of action in tonight's game!

Herrera off for Granada with Soro on

Alba almost makes it five with a fine half volley that edges just inches wide of Rui Silva's post

De Jong off/Pjanic on

Braithwaite on for Messi who has had a fine match

Machis off/Kenedy on for Granada

Dembele finds the French striker and Griezmann controls and finds the corner

Duarte is on hand to cut out a weighted ball and save the danger as Barcelona look like the side likelier to find the target.  

Less than 30' remain at Los Carmenes. Granada set to bring on Kenedy as a fourth substitue of the night.

Rui Silva can only look on as Messi's perfectly directed shot heads into the corner of his net for the second FC Barcelona goal of the night. 

Pass, pass, pass x 50.... Barcelona neatly move the ball around and all Granada can do is chase shadows. De Jong has a pop from the edge of the area and drifts the ball just over the Granada bar.

Barcelona looking very, very composed and no early signs that the Granada substitutes have altered the pattern of the game with the men in black once again domination possession.

Great play from Barcelona as they almost work their way into the box but Suarez is on hand to snub out the danger. 

Granada's next action is a midweek away trip to face high flying Villarreal.

Barcelona will be in Spanish Super Cup action next week facing R.Sociedad on Jan 13. as Mingueza is carded. 

Both Untiti and Dest seem to have shaken off the niggles that seemed to bother both players in the first 45'.

 A major task ahead for Diego Martinez and his Granada side. An early goal essential for the interests of the home side.

Vallejo , Suarez and Milla on for Granada with Neva, Montoro and Soldado off

Both sides here in Granada return to the pitch with Granada poised to make three changes at the break.

Breaking: Osasuna have just confirmed that despite persistent snowfall in Pamplona, club operatives have ensured the pitch at El Sadar is playable. 

As things stand, Barcelona would finish tonight just 2 points behind Real Madrid in the table as 'Los Blancos' are in action later tonight to face Osasuna in Pamplona. 

HT in Granada: GCF 0-3 FC Barcelona

We'll have one minute of added time and Barcelona are very much in pole position to claim maximum points here. Granada need a change, Soldado needs help upfront and an early goal is critical for the local side as the whistle sounds.

Into the last minute as Soldado is carded for a foul on Mingueza.

A harsh scoreline for Granada who have not been three goals poorer than the Catalan outfit. 

Perfect for the left foot of the Argentine. Gooooooool. A daisy cutter along the ground.

Dangerous free for Barcelona after an off the ball push on Pedri by Eteki. This is very much Leo Messi territory!

Messi's 10th of the season in LaLiga

The goal does finally stand. Two goals for Koeman's side and both angering Granada players for different reasons. 

Great counter from the Catalan side but there was/is a hint of handball from Busquets in the start of the move. 

Fabulous strike from the trusty left boot... Vintage Lionel Messi !

Junior and Pjanic continue to warm up for the Catalan side. Umtiti does appear to be carrying some sort of knock. 

Griezmann celebrates his goal with Mingueza for FC Barcelona. 

Barcelona patiently move the ball around on the edge of the area with Messi instrumental in the play. Granada foul and the move breaks down with Messi to take. 

Granada go close as Ter Stegen once again denies the home side as Puertas breaks through. The flag was up though so the strike wouldn't have counted.

Dest and Umtiti are still on the pitch and both men appear okay to carry on. Dest does look to be in trouble as Barcelona win a free kick in a central area but the move eventually breaks down.

Pjanic getting warmed up with this possible setback for Koeman.

Bad news for Barcelona as Untiti pulls up and seems in a bad way. Dest is also being attended to.

Roberto Soldado goes close for Granada driving a fight footed effort but the ball drifts well wide with Ter Stegen alert to the danger.

As things stand, Barcelona would move to third in the table and lie just four points behind table topping At. Madrid (who do have three games in hand over the Catalan side)

Jose Ramón de la Fuente (goalkeeping coach) was the Barcelona man sent to the stands just a few minutes ago.

Interesting battle between Soldado and Mingueza developing as the visitors are spending more time on the ball now.

One of Koeman's assistants on the FC Barcelona has been given his marching orders. 

Dembele goes close as the French international rifles a right footed which drifts inches wide of the Granada post

Ter Stegen called into action again, this time the German stopper in fisting away the danger.

Controversy here in Granada with the home side furious with the decision.

The ball glimpses a Granada player (Soldado) on the way through to the French striker and the referee awards the striker with the goal ... Gooooooool.

The ball is in the net ...Griezmann claims the goal but the ref. says no

Pedri weaves into the box and eventually is bundled out and wins a corner for his side

Messi on the ball for the first significant time tonight. The Argentine has been impressive in recent outings and cuts a different figure to the Messi we saw in the early part of the 2020/21 season.

Wonderful counter as Granada break rapidly with Soldado finding Machis in space. The move breaks down with an offside but a glimpse of the pace and speed of the 'Nazaries' 

Both sides trying to establish themselves on the action with the home side enjoying the better of the early possession as each team studies their opponent.

The pitch at the Los Carmenes in perfect condition ahead of the game

Ter Stegen called into action as Puertas tests the German stopper. First corner of the night for the home side.

Both sides were involved in the 3rd round draw of the 2020/21 Copa del Rey yesterday with Barcelona set to face UE Cornella and Granada facing a regional derby against Malaga.

All set in Granada with the visitors set to get us underway. 

De Burgos Bengoetxea is tonight's match official

Granada in their classic red and white hooped shirts, blue shorts. Barcelona in all black tonight.

BREAKING: Araujo is out with Umtiti set to replace the Uruguayan who sustained an injury in the warm-up

AS English pre-game predictions:

Paul: GCF 1-3 FCB

Will: GCF 1-2 FCB

Fidel: GCF 0-3 FCB

Granada also overcame the Catalan giants in the 2013/14 campaign with a solitary goal from Brahimi enough to secure maximum points for the Andalusian outfit.

Granada boss Diego Martinez looking dapper ahead of the action at the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes this evening.

Granada squeaked their Copa del Rey tie with a 1-2 win over 2B side Cultural Leonesa earlier this week. Their last league outing resulted in a 0-2 loss away in Eibar.

Barcelona are on their best run of the season winning three and drawing two of their past five games.

Granada are enjoying a solid season having reached the Round of 32 of the Europa League where they will face Napoli. The 'Nazaries' currently lie in 7th place in the table. 

A win would see Barcelona jump to third in the LaLiga table. 

Granada won this corresponding fixture last season 2-0 with goals coming from Azeez and a Vadillo second from the spot. 

Despite a bitterly cold evening in Granada this evening (currently 7C/44F), the Andalusian city has been spared of the massive snowfall that has affected many other areas of the country. The pitch is in fine condition and perfect for an entertaining 90 minutes of action.  

Sergio Busquets set to make his 600th appearance in a Barcelona shirt tonight in Granada.

Koeman pre-game on Griezmann (who starts vs Granada)

​​​​​​"Any player needs confidence in himself, his team-mates and the place where he plays. This starts with the player," he told a news conference.

"As a coach, I can communicate with [Griezmann], show him things and footage of potential things to improve, but at the end it's the player who has to show his quality and give effectivity to the team.

"It's not the case that Antoine doesn't work, he works a lot in any position. The other day he recovered a lot of balls, he gave an assist to Leo [Messi].

"But it's time that he scores, because scoring goals is the best medicine to have total confidence in yourself."

With no Clement Lenglet for Barcelona (suspended), Óscar Mingueza takes the Frenchman's place with Samuel Umtiti on the bench for the Catalan side.

Granada have been a solid bet at home this season, with Diego Martínez’s side having lost only once this season in LaLiga with Athletic, Sevilla, Betis and Valencia all being seen off by the tactical nous of the former full back.

Granada too confirm their starting XI: 

Without further ado, let's bring you the team news.....

Kick-off in Granada is at 18:30 CET.

Hello and a warm welcome to tonight's live coverage from Granada as the Andalusian men welcome Ronald Koeman's Barcelona to the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes.