VAR derails Barcelona rally in draw with Granada
Barcelona substitute Sergi Roberto scored late on to rescue a 2-2 draw at Granada on Sunday after their winger Lamine Yamal became LaLiga’s youngest goalscorer aged 16 years and 87 days.
Joao Felix looked to have put Barca ahead in second-half stoppage time, but VAR intervened and ruled that Ferran Torres was offside on the cross into the area.
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Granada forward Bryan Zaragoza had netted twice in the first half to give the hosts a two-goal lead but Yamal struck from close range to get Barca back in the game just before the break.
Barcelona are now third on 21 points after nine games, one point behind Girona and three adrift of leaders Real Madrid. Atletico Madrid are fourth on 19 points with a game in hand.
Yamal broke the Liga record held by Malaga’s Fabrice Olinga, who scored against Celta Vigo in 2012 aged 16 years and 98 days.
In August he had set the record as Barca’s youngest debutant in an official match and then became Spain‘s youngest ever international and scorer at 16 years and 57 days when he made his debut away to Georgia in a Euro 2024 qualifier in September.
Despite his historic night, Yamal was withdrawn in the 76th minute after asking to come off. Jules Kounde also left the match early adding to Barcelona’s injury list along with Robert Lewandowski, who left their Champions League win over Porto on Wednesday early with a sprained ankle.
“We totally dominated, we created chances and deserved more,” Xavi said after the match. “But it came down to our own mistakes. The first inside 20 seconds — we can’t play out like that. They then get the second and you are rowing against the tide from there. After that, we showed patience and dominated the game.
“In the end, we deserved the win. A point is insufficient.”
Barca coach Xavi Hernandez said both Yamal and Kounde appeared to be OK, but that they would be assessed in the coming days.
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The goals from Yamal and Roberto rescued a point for Barca who struggled in the first half but dominated late in the game when Granada‘s André Ferreira had to make a string of saves.
Skilful Zaragoza wasted at least two other great chances to extend Granada’s lead on the counter in the first half.
He also fired a thunderous strike against the post in the 87th minute just after Roberto had equalised for Barca by netting first-time from Alejandro Balde‘s cross.
Barca’s players and Xavi then complained vociferously to the referee who ruled out the Felix goal in added time for a controversial offside in the buildup.
“I think we deserved more but paid for our mistakes. It’s clear we can’t go out on the pitch like that,” Xavi told DAZN.
“We were patient, we dominated. Perhaps it’s our match with the most possession and we had many chances.
“Pity is that we had to come back from 2-0 down after two counter-attacks. My feeling as a whole is good, but we dropped two points.”