Barcelona 6-0 Granada: Winners and Losers from the La Liga Clash
Barcelona flexed their muscles and showed just how dominant they can be when they trumped Granada on Saturday to the tune of a 6-0 score line. Neymar bagged a hat trick in the process, while Lionel Messi chimed in with a brace for himself.
It was an absolutely complete match from the Catalans who played as close to perfect as humanely possible. Granada had no answers for their hosts and were yet another victim of Luis Enrique’s Blaugrana machine.
In this article we will take a look at the winners and losers from the Camp Nou clash and discuss what those lessons could mean for the two clubs going forward.
As always, feel free to get involved in the discussion in the comment section below and let us know who you think the winners and losers were!
*Note that all player statistics are courtesy of WhoScored.com
Winner: Neymar
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No surprise here at all. While Neymar struggled to find his rhythm in the Barcelona system last season, this year looks to be the complete opposite for the Brazilian wonder.
Neymar linked up beautifully with Messi and created several chances against Granada. The defense looked lost when trying to mark the Brazilian and his pure class and effort paid off in the form of three goals.
The 22-year-old managed to get off seven shots during the match, but he surprisingly only won one dribble. That just goes to show that Neymar can get the job done in many different ways.
It is definitely time to admit that Neymar has find his footing in the Blaugrana system, and that means opponents should be very afraid.
Losers: Granada's Finishing
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The final score may look like an utter blowout, which it was, but that doesn’t mean that Granada did not get their chances. Attackers like Youssef El-Arabi and Isaac Success managed to create a few opportunities throughout the game, but Granada was unable to ever truly test the keeper.
Actually, it was Granada who had the first real chance of the game that was squandered. Later they had the chance to draw level at 1-1, but again the opportunity was left wanting.
Had the visitors been able to finish off one of their chances, maybe the game would have gone differently. It is unlikely that one goal would have made much of a difference, but it was clear that Granada’s finishing needs some work.
Winner: Jeremy Mathieu
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Whether or not you liked the signing of Jeremy Mathieu this summer, it is clear that the former Valencia defender has been a massive hit at Barcelona. Against Granada he put on a masterful display in the back line and fans were ready to chant his name.
The French center-back completed 93 percent of his passes on the night, having 75 touches for the Catalans. He also made an incredible seven tackles, including a last-man tackle that was pure class.
The 30-year-old has already found his place in the Barcelona squad. The learning curve is past him already and he is performing at a very high level. On Saturday, fans got to see that Mathieu was a brilliant signing and will only get better in the Blaugrana shirt as time goes on.
Gerard Pique and Marc Bartra already know they will have to compete for a regular spot in the lineup, and Mathieu is the one pushing everyone else to be better.
Loser: The Parked Bus
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Before almost any Barcelona match kicks off, fans already know what to expect—the opponents will park the bus and sit everyone around the box in order to stop the tiki-taka strategy.
On many occasions this plan has worked and most Barcelona fans hate seeing such defensive tactics. However, the Blaugrana have been looking for a way to counter the parked bus for a few years now, and at times they have shown that they can break it down.
While Granada did look to get forward when they had the chance, they spent most of the game with every player deep behind the midfield line in defense. Yet this time the parked bus did not work as Messi and Neymar found ways to run in behind the back line.
It may just be one game, but fans can be excited that Enrique’s tactics are starting to show the ability to sneak through the bus.
Winner: Lionel Messi and History
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On Saturday, Lionel Messi did what he does best—make history. In the second half the Argentine headed home Barcelona’s fourth goal of the game, which just so happened to be the 400th goal of his professional career.
At only 27 years of age, reaching this mark is truly unbelievable. The La Masia graduate continues to show that he is one of the greatest to ever kick a football.
What better way to surpass the 400 goal mark than doing it at the Camp Nou in front of the massive Barcelona crowd?
Messi may have had to share the spotlight with hat-trick hero Neymar, but Saturday’s victory was all about the four-time Ballon d’Or winner. His two goals and two assists were just another day at work for the Argentine, but the history he is making every day is truly something to behold.
Who was the biggest winner on Saturday? Just how many goals can Messi score in his career? Leave your thoughts and comments below!
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