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Barcelona logo
La Liga
Jan 9, 2016 at 3pm UK
 
Granada logo

4-0

Messi (8', 14', 58'), Neymar (83')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Lionel Messi scores hat-trick in comfortable Barcelona win

Barcelona return to the top of the La Liga table with a 4-0 win over Granada in Saturday afternoon's clash at Camp Nou.

Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Barcelona returned to the top of the La Liga table with a 4-0 win over Granada on Saturday afternoon.

Messi scored twice in the first period at Camp Nou, before adding his third just before the hour as the Catalan outfit moved one point clear of Atletico Madrid at the summit. Granada improved in the second period after struggling in the first, but it got worse late on when Neymar made it four in the 83rd minute.

Barcelona players celebrate during the game with Granada on January 9, 2016© Getty Images

A bright opening four minutes saw both sides register strikes from distance, Ruben Rochina missing for Granada, before Ivan Rakitic's effort swung wide of the post down the other end.

Jordi Alba then had the ball in the back of the net for Barcelona, but the left-back was just offside when Messi slid a pass into the path of the Spanish international, before Luis Suarez brought a smart stop from Andres Fernandez all inside the opening seven minutes.

In the eighth minute, Barcelona took the lead as Messi converted form close range after an Arda Turan pass. There was a hint of offside about the goal, but the flag stayed down and Turan had an assist to his name on his La Liga debut for the Catalan outfit.

Turan came close to a goal of his own in the 14th minute, but the Turkish international, who was through on goal, was denied by a last-ditch challenge from Doria. Less than one minute later, however, Barcelona had their second of the match when Messi converted from a tight angle after a low cross from Suarez.

Suarez had Barcelona's next outstanding chance in the 27th minute, but after combining with Neymar, the Uruguay international somehow fired wide of the post from inside the box. Messi then found space inside the box, but Fernandez managed to make a point-blank save to keep out the Argentine.

Arda Turan in action during the game between Barcelona and Granada on January 9, 2016© Getty Images

Neymar also came close to adding to the scoring in the latter stages of the first period, but Granada, whose best outlet came from Isaac Success, managed to keep the score down with a couple of clearances from Doria.

Success remained Granada's biggest threat early in the second half and after cutting inside Alba, the attacker released a strike from distance, but Claudio Bravo was on hand to make the save, before David Lomban tested the Barcelona stopper with a powerful free kick from just outside the box.

Messi completed his hat-trick just before the hour, however, when he tapped home from close range after Neymar had struck the post with a low effort.

Rochina came close to a consolation for Granada in the 67th minute, but after turning inside the Barcelona box, his effort was kept out by Bravo. Chances proved few and far between in the 15 minutes that followed, with substitutions from both managers making it a stop-start period of the contest.

Barcelona were not finished, however, and added a fourth through Neymar in the 83rd minute to cap what was a miserable afternoon for relegation-threatened Granada.

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Neymar of FC Barcelona scores the opening goal from the penalty spot during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Villarreal CF at Camp Nou on December 14, 2013
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Real Madrid32256170224881
2Barcelona32217464372770
3GironaGirona32215667402768
4Atletico MadridAtletico32194959382161
5Athletic Bilbao321610652302258
6Real Sociedad321312746341251
7Real BetisBetis32121284038248
8Valencia32138113534147
9Villarreal32119125155-442
10Getafe32913103844-640
11Osasuna32116153746-939
12Sevilla32910134145-437
13Las PalmasLas Palmas32107153039-937
14AlavesAlaves3298152838-1035
15Rayo Vallecano32713122739-1234
16Celta Vigo32710153747-1031
17Mallorca32613132638-1231
18CadizCadiz32413152245-2325
19Granada3239203361-2818
20Almeria32111203164-3314


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