Barcelona had to rely on Luis Suarez, Ivan Rakitic and Claudio Bravo, three of their summer signings, on Saturday to beat Granada and make sure they kept pace with Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. The trio provided further proof that the club's former Sporting Director Andoni Zubizarreta got something right in preseason, despite being sacked by the club in January.

Three points were just what the doctor ordered for Barcelona at Granada, and although the 3-1 win was hard fought, certain players...

GRANADA, Spain -- Three quick thoughts from Barcelona's 3-1 win over Granada in La Liga at the Nuevo Los Carmenes on Saturday.

1. Barcelona tough it out

Barcelona were far from their fluid best here, but goals from Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi were enough to get three valuable points, with Granada's reply coming from a second-half Javi Marquez penalty.

Barca had warning of how difficult it can be coming to the Nuevo Los Carmenes, where Granada were unbeaten in six games since...

Five thoughts gleaned from La Liga's weekend fixtures as Real Madrid were held by Villarreal at the Bernabeu, while Barcelona continued to bounce back with a win over Granada and Atletico were held by European-chasing Sevilla.

1. Isco not an untouchable galactico just yet

Real Madrid remain La Liga leaders after Sunday night's 1-1 draw at home to Villarreal, but the game again showed how Isco has some way to go before being confirmed as first-choice for coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Pre-game praise for...

Football always inspires debate, and this weekend was no exception. Here are five burning questions on the ESPN FC radar.

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Chelsea knocked off Tottenham 2-0 at Wembley Stadium to win the Capital One Cup, Jose Mourinho's first piece of silverware since returning to Stamford Bridge. Blues' captain John Terry called the win massive and hinted it could spur them on to more success this season.

In one of the most entertaining games...

Barcelona achieved a decisive 3-1 win away at Granada in round 25 of La Liga action on Saturday. Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi scored for the club, who enjoyed 70 percent of possession, created 16 goal-scoring chances and attempted 16 shots, nine of them on target.

Luis Enrique introduced several changes to his preferred 11, including players who have enjoyed less and less playing time as the season has developed. The Catalans' level of intensity and fluency when on the ball dropped...

"It all happened so quick," Sergio Busquets says. He started the 2008-09 season at the municipal stadium in Santa Eulalia (capacity: 1,500). He ended it at the Estadio Olimpico in Rome (capacity: 70,600). From Spain's regionalised third division, with 350 teams spread over 17 groups, to the Champions League final in nine months. A European champion aged just 20, a year later he was a world champion with Spain.

Even the pitches had small in tercera, let alone the stands, now here he was on the...