Barcelona closed within a point of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga after an in-form Luis Suárez played a part in all three of their goals in a scrappy 3-1 victory at Granada.
Barça took the lead at the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes when Ivan Rakitic smashed the ball into the net from close range after the Granada defender Cala failed to clear a Suárez centre in the 25th minute.
Lionel Messi twice went close before Suárez ran on to a chipped Rakitic pass and slipped the ball under the home goalkeeper, Oier, to make it 2-0 three minutes into the second half.
Barça appeared to be cruising against their second-bottom opponents but Granada pulled a goal back five minutes later when Marc Bartra felled Lassane Bangoura in the penalty area. Fran Rico confidently stroked his spot-kick past Claudio Bravo before Barça restored their two-goal lead in the 70th minute. Suárez sped clear, left Oier floundering and unselfishly set up Messi to find the empty net.
It capped another fine performance from Suárez after the Uruguay forward struck twice in Tuesday’s 2-1 Champions League victory at Manchester City.
Messi fluffed two good chances in the closing stages when twice sent clear by Neymar, leaving the Argentina captain on 27 La Liga goals, two behind Real’s Cristiano Ronaldo, the top scorer.
Barça have 59 points from 25 matches with Real on 60 from 24 before their game at home to sixth-placed Villarreal on Sunday. Atlético Madrid, the champions, are six points adrift of Barça in third and visit Sevilla, who are fifth, on Sunday.
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