Barcelona 1-0 Granada: Lionel Messi's second-half strike strike gives Quique Setien win on debut
Lionel Messi was often crowded out by a disciplined Granada defence
Lionel Messi's second-half strike against 10-man Granada gave new coach Quique Setien a winning start at Barcelona, but it was not a convincing display by the La Liga champions.
Barca had more than 80% of the possession, but the build-up was often slow and ponderous at the Camp Nou. Setien's tactics for Barcelona's attack was to try to go through the middle of the backline, but more often than not they were suffocated by a well-drilled defence.
That defence lost a man when German Sanchez was shown a second yellow in the 69th minute for a foul on Messi, and seven minutes later Barcelona were ahead.
The home side persisted with the tactic of going through the middle as the Argentine linked up with Antoine Griezmann; he found Arturo Vidal, whose drag-back teed up Messi to stroke home.
It was a moment of vintage Barcelona, and the win puts them back on top of La Liga - ahead of Real Madrid on goal difference.
Setien celebrated enthusiastically after the goal and on the final whistle, six days after replacing Ernesto Valverde at the Catalan club.
The 61-year-old, who signed a two-and-a-half-year deal, had been out of work since he left Real Betis in the summer. He enhanced his reputation at the Seville side by leading them to sixth place and qualification for the Europa League.
- Relive the action from Camp Nou
Barcelona created very few other good chances. Teenager Ansu Fati, who started in a front three with Messi and Griezmann, had two early efforts, one of which resulted in a superb save from Rui Silva. And in the second half Messi's low strike struck the side-netting.
Granada spent most of the match defending, but a brief spell after the break saw them go close to scoring when Yan Eteki's firm low strike came off the post.
Barcelona's next match is a Copa del Rey quarter-final match at Ibiza on Wednesday.
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Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Barcelona
1ter Stegen
20Roberto
3Piqué
23Umtiti
5Busquets
31FatiSubstituted forPérezat 79'minutes
22VidalSubstituted forArthurat 83'minutes
4RakiticSubstituted forPuigat 71'minutes
18Alba
10Messi
17Griezmann
Substitutes
2Nélson Semedo
8Arthur
13Murara Neto
15Lenglet
24Firpo
27Pérez
28Puig
Granada
1Dantas da Silva
16Díaz
22Coutinho Meneses Duarte
6SánchezBooked at 69mins
2Foulquier
8EtekiSubstituted forMartínezat 72'minutes
4Gonalons
7VadilloSubstituted forRodríguez Díazat 65'minutes
12AzeezSubstituted forHerreraat 56'minutes
23MachísBooked at 12mins
24FernándezBooked at 72mins
Substitutes
5Martínez
9Soldado
10Rodríguez Díaz
11Köybasi
13Escandell
15Neva
21Herrera
Referee:
Valentín Pizarro Gómez
Attendance:
65,444
Match Stats
Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamGranada
Possession
Home83%
Away17%
Shots
Home18
Away5
Shots on Target
Home6
Away1
Corners
Home7
Away0
Fouls
Home11
Away17
Live Text
Posted at
Match ends, Barcelona 1, Granada CF 0.
Full TimePosted at 90'+3'
Second Half ends, Barcelona 1, Granada CF 0.
Posted at 90'+3'
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by José Antonio Martínez.
Posted at 90'+2'
Attempt saved. Darwin Machís (Granada CF) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Posted at 90'
Attempt blocked. Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Sergio Busquets.
Posted at 88'
Offside, Granada CF. Carlos Fernández tries a through ball, but Darwin Machís is caught offside.
Posted at 88'
Attempt saved. Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Arthur.
Posted at 87'
Attempt blocked. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Carles Pérez.
Posted at 85'
Foul by Riqui Puig (Barcelona).
Posted at 85'
Maxime Gonalons (Granada CF) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 84'
Attempt missed. Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Riqui Puig following a fast break.
SubstitutionPosted at 83'
Substitution, Barcelona. Arthur replaces Arturo Vidal.
Posted at 83'
Foul by Carles Pérez (Barcelona).
Posted at 83'
Darwin Machís (Granada CF) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 81'
Carles Pérez (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 81'
Foul by Maxime Gonalons (Granada CF).
Posted at 81'
Foul by Arturo Vidal (Barcelona).
Posted at 81'
Darwin Machís (Granada CF) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
SubstitutionPosted at 79'
Substitution, Barcelona. Carles Pérez replaces Ansu Fati.
Posted at 79'
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Rui Silva.
Posted at 79'
Attempt saved. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Sergio Busquets.
Goal!Posted at 76'
Goal! Barcelona 1, Granada CF 0. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Arturo Vidal.
Posted at 75'
Hand ball by Sergio Busquets (Barcelona).
SubstitutionPosted at 72'
Substitution, Granada CF. José Antonio Martínez replaces Yan Eteki.
BookingPosted at 72'
Carlos Fernández (Granada CF) is shown the yellow card.
Posted at 72'
Jordi Alba (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 72'
Foul by Carlos Fernández (Granada CF).
SubstitutionPosted at 71'
Substitution, Barcelona. Riqui Puig replaces Ivan Rakitic.
DismissalPosted at 69'
Second yellow card to Germán Sánchez (Granada CF) for a bad foul.
Posted at 69'
Lionel Messi (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 69'
Foul by Germán Sánchez (Granada CF).
Posted at 67'
Attempt saved. Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ivan Rakitic.
Posted at 66'
Yan Eteki (Granada CF) hits the left post with a right footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Carlos Fernández.
SubstitutionPosted at 65'
Substitution, Granada CF. Antonio Puertas replaces Álvaro Vadillo.
Posted at 65'
Attempt missed. Álvaro Vadillo (Granada CF) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left from a direct free kick.
Posted at 64'
Foul by Arturo Vidal (Barcelona).
Posted at 64'
Darwin Machís (Granada CF) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 63'
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Domingos Duarte.
Posted at 63'
Attempt blocked. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Posted at 62'
Lionel Messi (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Source: bbc.com
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