When I wrote the preview, I warned specifically about taking Granada lightly in a must win match. That precisely was what Barca did and paid heavily for that. After going down to a shock Brahimi fall Barca failed to react properly in the first half and they paid for that. Even though we threw everything at Granada in the second half, the ball wouldn't go in. With this defeat we may have conceded defeat in our La Liga title defense. Unbelievable has been this week, from challenging for three titles we have been effectively reduced to challenging for the King's Cup. With two consecutive defeats Barca needs to react fast from preventing the season spiralling out of control. To the surprise of everyone who expected Martino to rest many of his usual starters, Martino started with many. The front three had Neymar, Messi and Pedro. The midfield had Iniesta, Cesc and Song. The defense had Mascherano and Busquets forming the central defense with Montoya and Adriano on the flanks.
The match started in the very much expected way of us controlling everything and trying to break down their defense. To their credit, Granada was making pretty good of any small possession they were getting. And that mattered when Granada took a surprising lead in the 16th minute with a quick counter when Brahimi latched on to a long pass before calmly finishing it past Pinto. A shocked Barca tried to react quickly and Messi had a good chance when Neymar picked him in the box with a cross, but his tame header went wide off the far post. In the 22nd minute Neymar headed wide from a brilliant Neymar cross. In the 29th minute Montoya got past his marker on the right before squaring the ball to Cesc in middle of the box, who was unlucky to see his shot blocked. In the 30the minute Granada keeper did really well to save a Neymar curler from outside the box. In the 36th minute Pinto made a brilliant save to deny Granada increasing the lead. Ther half ended with Pinto making yet another save to prevent Granada from doubling their lead.
In the 54th minute Cesc brilliant volley was once again well saved the Granada keeper. In the very next minute Granada showed their intent with another attack on the counter. Had it not been for Montoya we would have gone down 2-0. In the 58th minute Neymar blasted a shot narrowly wide off the near post. In the 63rd minute Granada keeper made another wonderful save this time from a brilliant Messi free kick. In the 68th minute Martino brought in Alba for Adriano in search of the two goals which could hand them the three points. In the 74th minute Song sent in a great cross to Neymar in the box but the Brazilian could only volley wide. Martino immediately took off Busquets and brought in Sanchez to give more attacking impetus. In the 80th minute Neymar was played on by a brilliant ball by Alexis but the Granada defense somehow cleared the danger. In the 88th minute Pinto made a brilliant last man save after a mistake from Song put Brahimi through.
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