Barca stunned

Barcelona's La Liga
hopes suffered a
devastating blow on
Saturday evening after
Yacine Brahimi's first
half strike gave Granada a shock 1-0 win.
The Algerian's third goal of the season in
the first half gave the Andalusian outfit
their first win over the champions since
they returned to the top flight in the 2011.
Barca were dumped out of the Champions
League at the quarter-final stage by Liga
title rivals Atletico Madrid in midweek, and
the pressure on coach Gerardo Martino was
ramped up again at Estadio Nuevo Los
Carmenes.
Neymar cut a frustated figure as he
spurned several chances, and defeat
ensured Barca missed the chance to
replace Atletico - who play on Sunday - at
the top of the table, while victory for
Granada eased their relegation fears.
Martino stated in the build-up to this game
that Barca's season would be deemed a
failure following their Champions League
exit, and he must now hope his side
respond by winning the Copa del Rey final
against Real Madrid on Wednesday.
Xavi, Jordi Alba and Dani Alves dropped to
the bench as Martino rang the changes
following the loss at Atletico and, probably,
with one eye on the Copa final.
Barca made a bright start, but they were
stunned when the home side took the lead
just 16 minutes in.
Midfielder Fran Rico was the architect, with
a pass that pierced the Barca defence, and
Brahimi raced away from Martin Montoya
before beating Jose Pinto with a right-foot
finish inside the near post.
Granada wanted a penalty when Youssef El-
Arabi went down under a challenge from
Javier Mascherano, but referee Carlos
Delgado saw nothing untoward.
Neymar should have done better when he
headed Montoya's inviting cross over the
crossbar, before the Brazil forward tried his
luck with a measured right-foot strike from
outside the area that was palmed away by
Orestis Karnezis.
Former Santos man Neymar was becoming
increasingly tetchy, and he was somewhat
fortunate to escape with only a yellow card
when he kicked out at Allan Nyom just
before half-time.
Barca got straight back on the front foot
after the break and Granada were indebted
to a fine save from Karnezis to keep out a
Cesc Fabregas strike that looked destined
for the back of the net.
Neymar was wasteful once again when he
fired a left-foot strike wide of the far post
12 minutes into the second half as the
home side came under yet more pressure.
Karnezis then thwarted Barca again with an
outstanding reflex save from a Lionel Messi
free-kick, before smothering Sergio
Busquets' strike from close range.
Neymar's misery continued 17 minutes
from time when he volleyed wide at the far
post, and Andres Iniesta then flashed a
shot just wide of the far post.
El-Arabi could have sealed the points three
minutes from time when he raced through
on goal, but Pinto denied him.
That miss was not to prove costly, though,
as the home side held on for three
precious points in their battle to avoid the
drop and dealt a big blow to Barca's title
hopes.