Leo Messi's goal in the 73rd minute, converted from a free-kick, gave Barça three golden points against a tough Granada that led with an early goal from Ighalo (26'). Messi made it 1-1 in the 50th minute, before going on to notch the winner. These two goals take the prolific Argentine's tally to 300 with Barça.
This Saturday the 'Blaugranas' ended their two-game run without an away win. With Xavi injured and Iniesta rested –it was the coach's decision to leave the latter on the bench, though he did play the last twenty minutes– Barça struggled to break down the opposition defence in the first half, despite creating plenty of opportunities. But the Catalan club managed to turn the match around in the second period, despite hardly seeing the rival goalposts.
Ighalo gave Granada the lead. In the second half, Messi was on hand to make it 1-1 when Toño parried Fàbregas' strike, before sealing all three points for Barça with a free-kick with 17 minutes to go.
With this win Barça increases its lead at the top of the table. Granada, meanwhile, is still six points above the relegation zone, despite its defeat.
Valdés proved the hero of the day for Barça in the action-packed final minutes of the game, stopping headers by El Arabi and Iñigo López and parrying a shot from Brahimi into the side netting with the Frenchman clean through on goal.
