Barcelona 3-3 Granada – Lamine Yamal rescues draw for Barca in six-goal thriller in La Liga

Barcelona’s slim chances of defending their La Liga title suffered a huge blow as they were held to a 3-3 draw against Granada at home.

Lamine Yamal gave Barcelona the lead in the first half before Ricard Sanchez cancelled out his opener just before half-time.

In a hectic six-minute period, Granada took the lead through Facundo Pellistri before Robert Lewandowski equalised instantly.

But it was not long before Granada took control of the tie again when Marc-Andre Ter Stegen could not keep out a powerful header from former Arsenal defender Ignasi Miquel.

Yamal struck for a second time late on to earn Barca a point, but it is not much consolation for Xavi’s side who are now 10 points adrift of La Liga leaders Real Madrid.

Barca broke the deadlock when 16-year-old Yamal found a pocket of space at the back post, where he met Joao Cancelo’s cross to tap into an unguarded net.

After a slick move involving Pedri and Ilkay Gundogan on the left side, the German crossed the ball for Lewandowski who had a first-time effort hooked away off the line by Martin Hongla.

Moments later, Granada burst down the other end of the pitch where Facundo Pellistri raced past Cancelo before pulling a cross back at the byline for Sanchez to strike first time into the roof of the net at Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s front post.

Both teams had chances early in the first half. Lewandowski spurned a shot from a tight angle, while Pellistri, in a similar position, forced a save out of Ter Stegen.

But moments later, Pellestri did find the target to give Granada an astonishing lead to spark an unbelievable six minutes of football.

Myrto Uzuni met a cross at the back post and fizzed a delivery straight back towards Pellistri in the six-yard box who slammed the ball into an empty net from two yards out.

Barca were rapid in their response to claw their way back into the game when Gundogan laid off a perfect ball for Lewandowski to fire a low shot into the net from the edge of the box.

However, Granada quickly restored their lead when Miquel sent a powerful header towards goal which Ter Stegen could only push onto the post before it dropped over the line.

Yamal gave Barcelona hope of a comeback when he steered a low effort into the bottom corner from 25 yards, but it would only save them a point.

If the task of catching this formidable Real Madrid side while trailing by seven points was not hard enough, they have certainly made life harder for themselves with a draw against 19th place Granada, as they slip to 10 points adrift.

For now, they are out of the race in what was a bid to defend their title. That could change, but it would take something special from Barca, something catastrophic from Madrid, and it would certainly take Barca winning at the Bernabeu in April.

A bright spark in a relatively dim Barcelona side.

The 16-year-old was one of the few players who could leave the pitch with their head held high after a decent contribution, where he scored two goals to salvage something from the game for his side.

It might not have been the result Barca wanted, but all they can do is take the positives from the game and Yamal is certainly one of those, perhaps the only one. He has an incredibly bright future and his brace against Granada shows he is ready to push on.

BARCA: Ter Stegen 5, Kounde 6, Cubarsi 6, Martinez 6, Cancelo 6, De Jong 6, Christensen 6, Gundogan 7, Yamal 9, Lewandowski 8, Pedri 7

Subs: Lopez 6, Casado, Victor, Raphinha 6, Guiu N/A

GRANADA: Batella 5, Sanchez 7, Rubio 5, Miquel 7 , Hongla 6, Maouassa 7, Pellistri 8, Gumbau 7, Ruiz 7, Melando 6, Uzuni 6

Subs: Torrente N/A, Callejon 6, Arezo N/A, Jozwiak N/A

15’ – GOAL!! – BARCELONA 1-0 GRANANDA (YAMAL): De Jong and Cancelo combine in a clever Barca move down the left wing before the former cuts back on his right foot and delivers a lovely ball to the back post, where Yamal arrives to poke it home at the back post.

41’ – OFF THE LINE! Pedri flicks the ball to Gundogan on the left, who finds Lewandoski at the back post but the striker’s first-time effort is hooked away off the line by Hongla! Barcelona should have extended their lead there.

43’ – GOAL!! – BARCELONA 1-1 GRANADA (SANCHEZ): Facundo Pellistri bursts past Cancelo down the right wing to the byline and cuts back a cross for Ricard Sanchez, who fires a first-time shot into the roof of the net at the front post with an immaculate finish! Granada are level, and if Barca had taken their chance down the other end just moments earlier, they wouldn’t have conceded!

53’ – CHANCE FOR LEWANDOWSKI! He races towards goal from the left but skews his effort from a tight angle high and wide! The striker will be disappointed with himself there.

60’ – GOAL!! – BARCELONA 1-2 GRANADA (PELLESTRI): Uzuni brings down a cross at the back post and fizzes a delivery straight back towards Pellistri who slams the ball into an empty net from two yards out! What a turnaround, and all of a sudden Barcelona are in a world of trouble!

63’ – GOAL!! – BARCELONA 2-2 GRANADA (LEWANDOWSKI): Cancelo dinks a ball forward to Gundogan who brings it down perfectly for Lewandowski to drill a low effort into the net from the edge of the box! They weren’t behind for long! Barca are level.

66’ – GOAL!! – BARCELONA 2-3 GRANADA (MIQUEL): Maoussa swings a cross into the box from the left and former Arsenal defender Ignasi Miquel sends a powerful header towards goal, which Ter Stegen can only push onto the post before it drops over the line.

79’ – BARCA HAVE THE BALL IN THE NET! But Lopez makes his run too early before poking the ball in on the line following Martinez’s looped header over the keeper.

81’ – GOAL!! – BARCELONA 3-3 GRANADA (YAMAL): Yamal cuts inside on his left foot from the right and curls an effort into the bottom right corner from 25 yards to draw Barca level!