FT: Granada 1-1 Barcelona
Luuk de Jong goal cancelled out by late Antonio Puertas strike
Gavri sent off for Barca with 10 minutes remaining
Benzema penalty gives Real lead over Valencia
Antonio Puertas
Pick this out.
Barca are lucky to survive the initial attack, only a superb Clement Lenglet block denies Jorge Molina.
From a corner in the immediate aftermath a cross drops off the leg of Sergio Busquets and Antonio Puertas whips his body around the ball to fire left footed into the top corner from 12 yards.
He nearly broke the net and it even caught the underside of the bar a little, just to make it look that bit better.
Granada 0-1 Barcelona
The clock ticks away, Barca closing in on back-to-back wins and extending their unbeaten run to five.
Clement Lenglet makes a huge block eight yards out to deny a point-blank effort.
That was huge.
Granada 0-1 Barcelona
Antonio Puertas for Granada, in behind the full-back, great area, low cross.... held by Marc-Andre ter Stegen again.
Granada 0-1 Barcelona
This would move Barcelona third, 12 points off the top spot but firmly in the top four.
Granada 0-1 Barcelona
What a chance for Granada to apply a bit of pressure now.
They have a corner. Ousmane Demebele is going off, Alvaro Sanz on for Barca.
Time to dig in, time to show up.
In comes the corner, short one, Luis Milla fashions shooting space... curler... well held by Marc-Andre ter Stegen. That was a bouncer and could have spilled free.
Image source, GeGranada 0-1 Barcelona
A second yellow for the 17-year-old.
He slides in on Alex Collado and it's from behind and a little off the mark.
Off you go son and don't even think you're having tea before bed.
Granada 0-1 Barcelona
So far this header and moment of celebration are all that matter.
If you're just tuning in a Dani Alves cross from deep was headed home by Luuk de Jong. The Dutch striker had already had a header ruled out in the first half.
Jordi Alba is down and buying a little time here, taking the sting out of things nicely.
Image source, Getty ImagesGranada 0-1 Barcelona
Antonio Puertas gets another look at goal, this time it's a decent opening as a ball cut back presents itself to him. He swings at it but can't connect cleanly and it's a waste.
On the break....
Barca bring threat, Abde Ezzalzouli cuts in off the left flank, he's one on one with his marker and he bends the ball around him and just wide.
Granada 0-1 Barcelona
Dani Alves slides in on the edge of the box just as Antonio Puertas pulls the trigger. The block is so well-timed and crisp that Puertas is dumped on his back.
Granada having pockets of joy coming forward but nothing too intense. Barca cruising...
Granada 0-1 Barcelona
Luis Suarez on a run at the box for Granada and he's stopped in robust fashion by Clement Lenglet. No foul the official says. Looks a bit heavy that...
Granada 0-1 Barcelona
Looking at the passing accuracy stats you can see how Granada can't get a lot going.
Their back four have pass-completion numbers of 59%, 65%, 55% and 59%. Those numbers aren't great and perhaps point to how they can't get a lot started.
Their forward players are feeing off scraps.
Granada 0-1 Barcelona
While Barcelona have been a shadow of previous versions, Luuk de Jong at one end and Gerard Pique at the other are leading the way.
Both have been rock solid tonight in different ways.
Granada are lining up a few changes in a bid to change the dynamic.
One of them is Alex Collado, who has just been sent to Granada on loan from Barca.
Image source, Getty ImagesGranada 0-1 Barcelona
Antonio Puertas has glanced a header wide for Granada. To be fair he had a lot to do.
What moves have Granada got now? So far they've just sat in and not done a great deal but that needs to change.
Granada 0-1 Barcelona
Luuk de Jong got Barca's winner at Mallorca in their last La Liga game by the way.
Move over Lionel, we have a new legend in the making.
As I type this De Jong is taken off and Memphis Depay comes on.
Luuk de Jong
Image source, Getty ImagesA Dani Alves cross has goal written all over it.
Luuk de Jong is up like a prize salmon to power a header home.
The keeper gets a hand to it but the header has too much technology behind it.
VAR technology is redundant here, this one will count.
A reminder we have league leaders Real Madrid up next against Valencia.
Goals in that one.
I promise.
Granada 0-0 Barcelona
Barcelona have a problem. Eric Garcia lashed a ball into the air under pressure and he's gone down. It looks like he's pulled something. Clement Lenglet will come on.
Barca play Real Madrid in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday in the Spanish Super Cup.
That could be a blow.
Granada 0-0 Barcelona
Luis Suarez meets a low cross in the box and lifts a shot several miles over the bar. Barca almost paying for a communication issue after Marc-André ter Stegen botched a throw out.
Granada 0-0 Barcelona
Image source, Getty ImagesThis man is 39 years old and is absolutely bang in form.
Who says age slows you down.
Ladies and gentleman, Granada front man Jorge Molina.... eight goals in his last eight games in all competitions.
Been there, seen it, done it, still doing it.
*Just not seeing much ball tonight.
Granada 0-0 Barcelona
Barca knock the ball around for a spell. It's all a bit slow until Ousmane Dembele gets on it in the final third. He gets direct, shapes his man up and looks to fashion a shooting chance from range.... deflected wide.
In comes the corner and Gerard Pique gets on it, only to guide a header wide. We'll call that half a chance.