Barcelona bobbed once again from Saturday’s stun rout by Granada with a 2-1 home win over Villarreal to climb to fourth in La Liga yet their night was defaced by Lionel Messi going off harmed.
Messi, making his first start this season, got extensive treatment before being supplanted at half-time by Ousmane Dembélé in what the mentor, Ernesto Valverde, demanded was a careful step.
Young person Ansu Fati supplanted Luis Suárez with 12 minutes to go however was given offside as he completed off an early opening. Not long after the 16-year-old terminated only wide as Barcelona chased the third objective.
Gerard Piqué saw his late free-kick from the edge of the territory kept out by Asenjo and Griezmann additionally shot over the bar late on yet Barcelona had officially done what’s needed to verify the triumph.
Valverde included: “We are playing admirably at home yet I think with the damage to Leo everybody has halted a tad abruptly. I believe we’re especially destined for success at home, however.”
We are still a long way from our best; however, with matches, everything will improve,” said Griezmann.
All alone adjustment at Barcelona, he included: “It’s extraordinary. An alternate style of football, an alternate position. I realized it would have been a test, and it would require some investment.
“Be that as it may, I’m not all that awful, correct? Three objectives. I can improve, indeed, yet I need to continue working.”
Valverde said of Messi, who was named Fifa’s male player of the year on Monday: “He saw a tad of an issue with his adductor, and we favored for him not to remain on the pitch; however it was only a precautionary measure. I don’t believe it’s anything else than only a niggle yet we’ll have to trust that tomorrow will affirm.”
“When something happens to Messi, everybody stops, on the field, yet in the stands too,” he said.
“It is a little issue in the adductor, and as a safety measure, we have chosen not to hazard it. In principle, it is not all that much, yet we will see tomorrow how it is.”
Barcelona visits Getafe in La Liga on Saturday before playing Inter Milan at home in the Champions League four days after the fact.