28th SEPTEMBER 2014 News Details » SPORTSNeymar and Messi put Barca on top MADRID: Neymar scored a hat-trick and Lionel Messi got his 400th career goal as Barcelona stormed back to the top of La Liga with a 6-0 thrashing of Granada yesterday. Real Madrid remained just four points adrift of the leaders as Cristiano Ronaldos hot scoring streak continued in a 2-0 win at Villarreal. Barca stretched their run of consecutive clean sheets to seven games, but rediscovered their scoring touch after being held to a 0-0 draw at Malaga in midweek as Messi and Neymar shone. The Brazilian opened the scoring with a deflected effort before Messi provided the second with an inch-perfect cross for Ivan Rakitic to head home. Neymar made it three just before half-time and Messi registered his 400th goal for club and country with a simple header from Dani Alvess cross. The two then combined as Messi squared for Neymar to complete his hat-trick before the Argentine rounded off the scoring himself nine minutes from time. Barca boss Luis Enrique had changed his entire defence from the one that started in midweek and the hosts were nearly punished for a slow start as Youssef El-Arabi clipped the bar. However, Barca were soon into their stride and, after Munir El Haddadi had miscued when presented with an open goal, they took the lead on 26 minutes as Neymar was gifted the ball inside the Granada half and surged forward before seeing his effort deflect pass the helpless Roberto via Jean-Sylvain Babin. Messi then increased his number of assists already this season to seven as he crossed right-footed for Rakitic to head home and Neymar tapped into an empty net to make it 3-0 after Roberto had denied Munir. Barca continued to dominate after the break and Alves provided Messi with a fine cross that the four-time World Player of the Year headed home. MOHAMMAD ADEEL
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 10:47:56 +0000
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