Barcelona 3-3 Granada: Player ratings as Barca drop points in dramatic draw

  • Yamal scored two in the draw with Granada
  • Barca struggled defensively once again
  • The Catalan club are now 10 points adrift of Real Madrid
Another disappointing result
Another disappointing result / Soccrates Images/GettyImages
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Barcelona twice came from behind to salvage a dramatic 3-3 draw with Granada at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.

The home side took the lead early on through Lamine Yamal, however were behind by the hour mark thanks to goals from Ricard Sanchez and Man Utd loanee Facuno Pellistri.

Barca made it 2-2 through Robert Lewandowski before going behind once again when Ignasi Miquel thumped home a header shortly after.

Yamal then popped up with an equaliser in the final ten minutes to earn his side a point - a point which leaves Barca 10 points adrift of Real Madrid in the La Liga standings.


How the game unfolded

Barcelona played with a real verve in the opening 15 minutes, zipping the ball about in a way that's rather been seen in Catalonia so far this season. The home side deservedly bagged the opening goal when a fluid move from right to left culminated in Joao Cancelo dinking the ball into the path of Lamine Yamal, who tapped home from close range.

Another wonderful move should have resulted in a Robert Lewandowski goal later in the half. A quick passing move resulted in Ilkay Gundogan squaring unselfishly to Lewandowski who, despite goalkeeper Augusto Batalla being nowhere to be seen, was unable to find that back of the net due Martin Hongla racing back to his goalline to clear the danger.

Barca were made to rue that missed opportunity moments later when Ricard Sanchez shockingly levelled the scores. The right-back raced into the box unmarked to sweep home a cross from Man Utd loanee Facundo Pellistri to make it 1-1 heading into half-time.

The home side dominated possession once again at the start of the second half, but it was Granada who'd create the first real chance of the half with Pellistri forcing Ter Stegen into a save when one-on-one with the goalkeeper on the right of the box.

That warning shot was not heeded by Barca and in the 61st minute they conceded a second goal. Pellistri would be the man to make it 2-1 for Granada, capitalising on some utterly rancid defending from Barca's backline to tap home at the back post after being found by Myrto Uzuni.

Granada's lead didn't last too long - about 180 seconds to be exact - as soon after Lewandowski fired home an equaliser. The frustrated forward latch onto the ball on the edge of the box and thumped into the bottom left corner of the net.

And if you thought Granada's lead didn't last long, the stalemate lasted for an even shorter amount of time thanks to the visitors retaking the lead in the 65th minute. Once again Barca's defence were caught at sixes and sevens by Granada when Faitout Maouassa curled the ball into the box from the left flank and captain Ignasi Miquel rose highest to nod home.

Another equaliser did eventually come for Barcelona, with Yamal making it 3-3 in the final ten minutes. The young prodigy won the ball back in the final third before firing into the bottom right corner of the net from 20 yards out.


Barcelona player ratings (4-3-3)

Lamine Yamal
The youngster saved Barca on Sunday / Soccrates Images/GettyImages

GK: Marc-Andre ter Stegen - 3/10 - Very shaky on the ball throughout. Not the calming presence he was for much of last season.

RB: Jules Kounde - 4/10 - Too easy to get past for most of the game.

CB: Pau Cubarsi - 4/10 - His mistake cost Barca the second goal.

CB: Inigo Martinez - 3/10 - Provided precisely zero veteran leadership alongside the young Cubarsi on Sunday.

LB: Joao Cancelo - 6/10 - Set up the opening goal, but was a bit of a disaster defensively. The usual from Cancelo really.

CM: Frenkie de Jong - 4/10 - Didn't effect the game in a positive manner, losing all but two of his duals in the middle of the park.

CM: Andreas Christensen - 3/10 - He's not a midfielder, and certainly not one who should be starting for Barcelona.

CM: Ilkay Gundogan - 6/10 - Set up Lewa's goal in the second half.

RW: Lamine Yamal - 9/10 - Opened the scoring early on and saved the game late on with a second goal. A quality young player.

ST: Robert Lewandowski - 7/10 - Scored an equaliser in the second half.

LW: Pedri - 5/10 - Saw a lot of the ball but didn't do a massive amount with it.


Substitutes

SUB: Fermin Lopez (67' for Christensen) - 6/10

SUB: Raphinha (75' for Cancelo) - 5/10

SUB: Marc Guiu (89' for Pedri) - N/A


Manager - Xavi Hernandez - 3/10 - It's just not working anymore. Xavi's once stout defence is a shell of its former self and it's costing Barca week in, week out.


Player of the match: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)


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