Barcelona's Lionel Messi reacts during his team's match against Atletico Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final second leg soccer match in Madrid (4/9). Atletico Madrid eliminate Barcelona from Champions League. REUTERS/Juan Medina
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Barcelona compounded its exit from the Champions League by losing 1-0 at Granada today, letting Real Madrid move ahead into second place in the Spanish league with a 4-0 win over Almeria, as cited in TVNZ One news.
Barcelona's stumble ensured the same Atletico Madrid that ousted it from Europe's top-tier competition would maintain the league lead with five more rounds to go, as it was level on points with Madrid but ahead on goal difference before it visited Getafe tomorrow.
Granada's Yacine Brahimi scored what proved to be the winner in the 16th minute and goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis made saves to deny Lionel Messi and Neymar amid a plethora of scoring chances that Barcelona failed to finish.
Barcelona has four more days to regroup from back-to-back defeats before it plays Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final in Valencia.