La Liga 2016/17: Granada 1-4 FC Barcelona, Player Ratings
FC Barcelona had to work hard for the majority of the game but in the end, surged to a 4-1 win over Granada thanks to an impactful performance from Luis Suarez. The Catalans enjoyed a league win without Lionel Messi on the side who was suspended for the away game.
Also read: La Liga 2016/17: Granada 1-4 Barcelona - 5 talking points
Suarez opened the scoring for the visitors before Jeremie Boga equalised for Granada. After the hour mark, Paco Alcacer, Ivan Rakitic and Neymar got on the scoresheet to help Barcelona keep the pressure on Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. Here are the player ratings from a well-deserved victory for FC Barcelona against Granada:
Granada
Guillermo Ochoa - 6.5
The Mexican custodian was the reason Granada avoided an embarrassing scoreline on the night as he made as many as nine saves to thwart the Barcelona forwards.
Hector Hernandez - 5
Playing as a full back, Hernandez had to first stop Andre Gomes and then Paco Alcacer from getting in behind. He fairly succeeded in that but could not offer much offensively.
Gaston Silva - 5.5
A robust performance from the central defender who didn't hesitate to jump into challenges. The defender attempted four tackles in the game, however, he struggled with his positioning at times which helped Barcelona mount some pressure.
David Lomban - 4
Lomban just couldn't keep up with the pace of the game and struggled to do anything crucial for his side. He also received a yellow card which made his night worse.
Matthieu Saunier - 6.5
The ball-playing defender was brilliant for Granada as he initiated many attacks from the back and also attempted quite a few dribbles to ease the pressure on the defence. Saunier also provided an assist for Boga's goal.
Dimitri Foulquier - 4
He was toyed with by Neymar as the Brazilian destroyed him on the flank with his pace and trickery.
Andreas Pereira - 6.5
The Manchester United youngster is slowly making his mark for Granada and proved that in a decent performance against the Spanish champions. He was the creative outlet for his team and had two shots on target which troubled Ter Stegen.
Uche Agbo - 4.5
Two bookings saw Agbo received his marching orders in the final moments of the game. But he did a good job in midfield during his 82-minute stint where he kept the play ticking whilst also breaking up many of Barcelona's attacks.
Victorien Angban - 5
The midfielder was anonymous for large parts of the game and could not influence his team going forward or in defence.
Wakaso Mubarak - 6
An industrious performance by Mubarak who showed his will to get on the ball and make things happen for the home side. He had an 82% pass succession rate and was one of the few offensive threats for Granada.
Artem Kravets - 5.5
The striker did not have much to do in the game. Kravets was a threat aerially but could not receive the service that was needed for him to inflict some damage on the Catalans.
Substitutes
Jeremie Boga - 7
The second half substitute injected pace into the Granada attack and was rewarded with a well-taken goal which levelled the proceedings. He was a constant threat to the Barcelona back line for the entire time he was on the field.
Adrian Ramos - 5.5
The on-loan Borussia Dortmund forward was quick with his movements and smart with his passing but could not get enough space to muster any shots to trouble Ter Stegen.
Isaac Cuenca - 5
Cuenca added some creativity and skill in the final quarter of the game but by that time Barcelona had started to run away with things.
FC Barcelona
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen - 6/10
The German was untested till Granada scored, nevertheless he was good with his feet and sprayed the ball well to his teammates. He could have rushed in to close down Boga before the striker took the shot which may have prevented Granada from scoring.
Sergi Roberto - 6.5
Roberto was deployed again as a right back after almost a month and he did justice to his role with a decent performance. He didn't charge forward often but instead offered stability at the back.
Javier Mascherano - 6.5
The Argentine would have loved to get back to winning ways after a disappointing international break. He was a leader at the back for Barcelona and organised his men well during set pieces and counter attacks. He also chipped in with two tackles and two clearances to keep things tight.
Jeremy Mathieu - 5
Samuel Umtiti was rested for the trip to Granada which almost proved costly as Mathieu had a horror game for the Catalans. He was caught napping for the home team's goal and misplaced many of his passes which added pressure on the defence.
Jordi Alba - 7
He was imperious going forward and provided a stunning assist for Luis Suarez. He linked up well with the attackers but could not get back in time for Boga's run which was initiated from his flank.
Sergio Busquets - 6.5
After a brilliant showing in the international fixtures, Busquets dazzled yet again for Barcelona with some incisive passing. The Spaniard made a total of 76 passes, the second most for Barcelona.
Andre Gomes - 4.5
The Portuguese was bizarrely given a start in a right wing role where he failed to do anything noteworthy. After Alcacer moved wide, Gomes also looked out of place in the centre of the park as he clearly had yet another game to forget.
Ivan Rakitic - 7
Rakitic was rewarded with a goal late on in the game in what was a hard working display from a right midfield role. He was sharp in his passing and initiated many of his team's attacks. The Croatian completed two dribbles as well as two key passes and was one of Barcelona’s best attacking players on the night.
Rafinha - 4
Rafinha had to be substituted for Paco Alcacer in the 10th minute after pulling up with a knee problem.
Luis Suarez - 9
One of the Uruguayan's best games this season, Suarez was present in each of Barcelona's attacking moves and could have scored a delightful chip, however, it was smartly saved by Ochoa. He scored one and provided one as his link up play, off the ball movement and creativity were all on point.
Neymar - 7
He struggled at times against the physicality of Granada but improved as the game went on. He scored his 100th goal for the club in the dying stages of the game
Substitutes
Paco Alcacer - 8
This was Alcacer's best performance in a long long time as he worked hard for his goal which restored the lead for Barcelona. He also provided an assist for Neymar to finish the game on a high.
Andres Iniesta - 7
The veteran was needed to take control of the midfield as Gomes found it hard to keep pace with things. Iniesta was calm as ever on the ball and helped Barcelona cross the finishing line.
Carles Alena - N/A
The academy graduate got his first league outing but had no time to make any sort of an impact on proceedings.