RONALD KOEMAN was sent off as Barcelona blew the chance to go top of LaLiga with a shock defeat at home to Granada.
Lionel Messi gave Barca the lead at the Nou Camp but a second-half comeback from the visitors ensured a stunning 2-1 defeat for Koeman’s side.
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Goals from Darwin Machis and Jorge Molina completed the turnaround for the Nazaries.
And the result could prove another major result in the four-way title race in Spain as Barcelona remain third on 71 points, behind Real Madrid on the head-to-head record with Atletico two points clear at the top after 33 games.
Things started well for the Catalans in their game in hand on the title rivals.
Antoine Griezmann teed up Messi to give them the lead midway through the first half.
His finish was his 26th league goal of the season.
The Argentine forward was denied by Granada keeper Aaron Escandell in a one-on-one shortly afterwards.
It proved to be a vital stop in the context of the game – as well as the title race.
Machis equalised for eighth-placed Granada on 63 minutes after Oscar Mingueza failed to cut out Colombian Luis Suarez’s through ball.
In the aftermath, Barca coach Koeman was shown a red card by referee Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes for his protests.
And to compound the home side’s misery, substitute Molina headed in a close-range winner 11 minutes from time to secure a first-ever away win at the Nou Camp for Diego Martinez’s side.
Next up for Barcelona is a trip to Valencia on Sunday, before the mammoth weekend which sees Koeman’s side host Atletico and Sevilla, fourth on 70 points, travel to Real Madrid.
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