Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick, with Neymar completing the rout late on as Luis Enrique's side coasted through the match in second gear.
Here Goal take a look at five talking points to come out of Barça's latest victory...
Lionel Messi offered a gentle reminder of why he’s the red hot favourite to be crowned the world’s best player for the fifth time in Zurich on Monday with a hat-trick against Granada.
His first goal arrived after just eight minutes, he added his second in the 14th minute and completed his treble in the second half - although he almost poked the ball over after Neymar’s shot had deflected back off the post.
The only surprise was that, somehow, this was Messi’s first three-goal haul in 10 months. However, since his last one he’s still managed to do enough to find himself on the Ballon d’Or podium once again.
Along with Luis Enrique, Neymar, Dani Alves and Andres Iniesta, Messi heads off to Switzerland in two days having scored or assisted seven of Barça’s eight goals in 2016. There’s a good chance he’ll be in the final three again next year.
Friday was a good day for traffic to Dani Alves’ Instagram page. The Brazilian full-back posted a rant about the press, summing them up - all of them - as “****ing trash”.
Barça released a statement distancing themselves from their player’s views in the afternoon, but by the evening they’d released another comment backing him after the Association of Spanish Sports Press (AEPD) threatened legal action.
Saturday wasn’t such a good day for Dani Alves’ playing career, though. He watched on from the bench as new signing Aleix Vidal, six years younger than him, took his place - a glimpse into the future, perhaps?
Still, the home support still love, Alves, even if he’s ruined some of his friendships with the media this week. He came on in the second half to vociferous roars of approval, followed by chants of his name to the tune of “We will rock you”.
Like a duck to water. That’s the old cliche you could reel out to describe Arda Turan’s start to life at Barcelona.
The Turkey international looks right at home in Luis Enrique’s star studded team. It probably has something to do with the fact he’s been training with his new team-mates and getting to know them for the last six months.
He set up Messi’s first goal here - his first recordable achievement in a blaugrana shirt - but it was his all round play and ease on the pitch, especially around Messi, which stood out for the second game running.
Messi’s third goal arrived after a neat dummy from Arda in the build up, with the 28-year-old then trotting off to be replaced by Adriano for the final quarter of the match. Job done.
0 Response to "Messi's perfect Ballon d'Or preparation & Dani Alves' biggest problem isn't the media"