Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Barcelona secured a comfortable victory over Granada to return to the top of La Liga.
The Argentine scored twice in the first 15 minutes and added another after the break to take his season's tally to 18, as Barca made it 20 games unbeaten.
Messi put Barcelona in command with composed close-range finishes to Luis Suarez-inspired moves.
He followed up to add a 58th-minute third, before Neymar lobbed the fourth.
Victory increased Barcelona's advantage over Real Madrid to five points - the side from the Spanish capital host Deportivo La Coruna in Zinedine Zidane's first game in charge later on Saturday.
Barca's hold on top spot could be short-lived as they will surrender their position if Atletico win at Celta Vigo on Sunday.
Messi broke the deadlock in the eighth minute against a side who were beaten 6-0 at the Nou Camp last season.
A clever dummy from Suarez allowed league debutant Arda Turan to thread a fine ball to the Argentine to slot home.
The second came six minutes later, as Neymar eased through before passing to Suarez, who knocked the ball down for Messi to finish.
Granada came into the contest more in the second half, with striker Isaac Success posing a threat, and David Lomban hooking a chance over the bar.
Normal service was soon resumed however, as Messi claimed his third - and 11th goal in eight La Liga appearances against Granada - following up after a dummy by Turan let in Neymar to shoot against the frame of the goal.
Neymar capped another impressive individual display by adding a fourth goal with seven minutes left thanks to a precise lob after good work by Messi and Suarez.
Barcelona boss Luis Enrique: "I made some changes now when I can and I have the chance to share out the burden.
"The key will be to get to the matches in a couple of months feeling fresh.
"I'm very satisfied with how the team played. Everybody was focused from the beginning and the players knew how important it was to win these three points."
Lineup, Bookings (5) & Substitutions (5) Barcelona 13 Bravo
22 Vidal Parreu Booked (Dani Alves - 65' )
(Dani Alves - 65' ) 03 Piqué
23 Vermaelen
18 Alba
04 Rakitic
20 Sergi
07 Turan (Adriano - 72' )
(Adriano - 72' ) 10 Messi
09 Suárez
11 Neymar Substitutes 01 ter Stegen
05 Busquets
06 Dani Alves
08 Iniesta
19 Ramírez
21 Adriano
24 Mathieu Granada CF 13 Fernández
17 Méndez Ortega Booked
26 Henry Agbo
02 Rodríguez Lombán Booked
12 Doria Macedo Booked
03 Biraghi
21 Krhin (Mainz - 45' )
(Mainz - 45' ) 23 Rochina Naixes Booked (Márquez Moreno - 78' )
(Márquez Moreno - 78' ) 20 Pérez del Mármol
11 Success Ajayi
27 Peñaranda (Ibáñez Castro - 72' ) Substitutes 01 Kelava
04 Rico Castro
05 Mainz
07 Ibáñez Castro
08 Márquez Moreno
09 El-Arabi
25 Miguel Lopes Ref: Carlos Velasco Carballo Att: 70,720
Yesterday, FC Barcelona collected three points defeating -based football club  4–0 at  in Barcelona in a La Liga match and became league leaders again.

File photo of Lionel Messi, who scored the hat-trick
Barcelona had greater ball possession. The match saw five . Four away players and Aleix Vidal of Barcelona were yellow carded. More than thirty fouls were committed in the match. Lionel Messi scored the first goal of the match in the 8th minute, assisted by debutant . Minutes later, Uruguayan Luis Suárez assisted Messi and he netted the second goal in the 14th minute.  was the first player to be booked in the 29th minute. First half ended in 2–0 with one yellow card shown.


In the second half  and  of Granada were booked in 56th and 57th minute. In the next minute, Sergi Roberto assisted Brazilian Neymar whose try to net a goal was saved, but the ball deflected and Messi scored the third goal of the match, completing his hat-trick.

 was yellow carded at the 60th minute. Three minuted later, Aleix Vidal was yellow carded for a bad foul. Neymar, in the 83rd minute, scored the fourth goal of the match assisted by Suárez.

After the match, Barcelona manager Luis Enrique said "I'm very satisfied with how the team played. Everybody was focused from the beginning and the players knew how important it was to win these three points."

Also yesterday Zinedine Zidane, recently appointed Real Madrid's new manager, secured a 5–0 win against  with Welsh winger Gareth Bale scoring a hat-trick as well.


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CAT:Football (soccer)
CAT:Sports
CAT:FC Barcelona
CAT:Spain
CAT:La Liga
CAT:Football match reports
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CAT:Lionel Messi
CAT:Real Madrid