Barcelona player ratings v Granada: Lionel Messi rues missed chances, Ronald Koeman sees red

Darwin Machis and Jorge Molina turn game around as Granada deal blow to Barca's La Liga title hopes

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  Marc-Andre ter Stegen, 4 – A much quieter start to the evening than he might have expected considering that the last meeting between the two sides finished 3-3. As the visitors failed to register a shot on target in the first half. In fact, he only had two saves to make all night but he failed to make either of them. AFP

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  Oscar Mingueza, 4 - A 35th appearance of the season for the youngster. The defender was rarely tested, but when he was it was fatal. He failed to hold the line as Barcelona were caught out by a slipped pass on the counter, which Mingueza nudged into the path of Machis for good measure. AFP

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  Gerard Pique, 5 - Rescued his side with a huge interception after Soldado opted to look for the pass when the ball was begging to be hit, but he dragged a huge chance wide at the other end and he couldn’t divert the ball away from Jorge Molina, who made it 2-1 after the ball skimmed the top of Pique’s head. AFP

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  Samuel Umtiti, 5 - Broke up the play effectively if not tidily, reflected by his ever-growing foul count which continued to creep up. Produced a perfectly-timed sliding challenge to halt the run of Soldado at the expense of a corner in the first half but unforgivably left Molina on his own as the 39-year-old dealt the ultimate suckerpunch to the lethargic hosts. AFP

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  Sergio Busquets, 7 - He always seems to know exactly when to slow the game down and when to release that killer pass. Another excellent contribution from the ever reliable midfielder who had a hand in the goal and later picked out Messi with a sublime ball over the top, but for once the Argentine couldn’t capitalise. His side capitulated somewhat after his withdrawal. Reuters

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  Sergi Roberto, 5 - Coasted through the first half and when chances came his way in the second he failed to make them count, glancing his first-time effort over the bar in the 53rd minute before he couldn’t quite connect with a fizzed pass on the slide a few minutes later. EPA

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  Frenkie de Jong, 6 - The former Ajax man has a handful of appearances as a makeshift centre-back under his belt this season, but it’s in the middle of the park that he really thrives and he threatened to pull the strings early on with Barcelona looking hungry. Involved in a lovely one-two with Lionel Messi, but he overcooked his pull-back intended for Messi when Moriba was a better option. AFP

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  Ilaix Moriba, 7 - The 18-year-old Barcelona graduate looked to be brimming with confidence on the back of an excellent couple of games. A bright start should have been rewarded with a goal, but Griezmann opted for the pull back when a square ball would have presented the teenager with a tap-in, and the Frenchman wasted another excellent opportunity after more good work from the young midfielder. AFP

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  Jordi Alba, 5 - Once again deployed as a winger with the hosts opting for a flat three at the back. Won his side an early corner early on when his ambitious effort took a deflection and looped just wide of the keeper’s left-hand post, but he didn’t really contribute much else. Reuters

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  Lionel Messi, 8 - Forget all the wonder-goals he’s struck down the years, he makes the simple things look so effortless. That was the case again here with a series of penetrating off the ball runs followed by neat lay-offs for his teammates. His low finish into the far corner wasn’t half bad either and his 26th league goal of the season should have been enough to send Barca top of La Liga, but even he was left ruing missed opportunities as he was thwarted from close range by Aaron Escandell’s foot. Reuters

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  Antoine Griezmann, 7 - Spurred on by his impressive brace against Villarreal, the forward made a lively start and he produced a scintillating turn away from his marker before slotting in Messi to open the scoring. Despite that, his own finishing was wasteful and Barca paid the price as they slipped to a shock defeat. Reuters

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  SUB: Pedri, NR - Replaced Mingueza in the 72nd minute as Ronald Koeman opted for pace and precision in equal measure with Dembele also brought into the action, but it was to no avail. AFP

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  Ousmane Dembele, 6 - A quick start from the substitute who was twisting, turning and twisting again, but his low cross couldn’t find a red and blue shirt and that was his best involvement. AFP

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman lamented his side's inefficiency at both ends of the pitch as they blew the chance to go top of La Liga on Thursday by losing 2-1 to Granada at Camp Nou.

Lionel Messi, who opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, missed a glorious chance to make it 2-0 before Darwin Machis and Jorge Molina were left in acres of space to turn the game on its head in the second half.

Barca's second defeat in 23 games means they are no longer in charge of their own destiny in the title race.

"We lost our focus in the second half and made errors at the back," Koeman told Movistar.

"We need to accept the fact we've lost, that's the reality of things. We had chances to win the game, but that's that. We've got five more games to go and each of the sides [in the title race] will have difficulties moving forwards.

"We now need to prepare ourselves for Sunday's game (away to Valencia). We're still in the mix and have a chance. We need to accept this, move on and prepare for the next one.

"We tried but weren't able to make many chances when they scored their goals. They closed shop well and we couldn't create."

Koeman's day got worse as he was sent off by referee Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes in the aftermath of Machis's 63rd-minute equaliser and will now be unable to sit on the bench for this weekend's trip to former club Valencia as well as next week's title showdown with Atletico.