Luis Suarez fires Barcelona past Granada to secure La Liga title

Updated: May 17, 2024, 05:59 am

Barcelona clinched their 24th Primera Division title as top scorer Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick to inspire them to a 3-0 win at Granada.

Suarez tapped home Jordi Alba's cutback in the 22nd minute to put Barca in charge and tightened their grip on the game and the title by heading home Dani Alves' cross in the 38th, before accepting a generous gift by Neymar to complete his treble late on.

A third hat-trick in five games rounded off the Uruguayan's most prolific season yet as he finished the season with 40 goals in 35 league games and became the first player aside from Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to land the Primera Division's top scorer accolade since compatriot Diego Forlan in 2009.

Barca finish the season on 91 points, one ahead of Real Madrid, whose 12-game winning streak at the end of the season ultimately came too late to prevent the Catalans from retaining the title and collecting an eighth league trophy in 12 seasons.

Granada mathematically sealed survival the week before by winning 4-1 at Sevilla but made just two changes to the team for the visit of Barcelona.

The first incident of note arrived in the seventh minute from a well rehearsed corner when Ivan Rakitic chipped the ball to Javier Mascherano at the near post and he glanced it towards Gerard Pique by the penalty spot. The defender's header was tipped away by Andres Fernandez, with Barca players wrongly claiming the ball had crossed the line.

Luis Suarez celebrates his hat trick goal against Granada.
JORGE GUERRERO/AFP/Getty Images

Fernandez tipped over a stinging drive by Messi soon after and repelled another Pique header, while Neymar and Andres Iniesta both missed the target.

Barca broke the deadlock midway through the first half through a magnificent sweeping move. Mascherano gave it to Neymar, who then released Alba down the left flank and the left-back's low cross was perfectly weighted for Suarez to tap in at the far post.

Granada temporarily managed to stem the tide of Barca's attacks but struggled to create much themselves, their only real threat coming from Venezuelan teenager Adalberto Penaranda.

Barca grabbed the all-important second through another brilliant combination. Mascherano spread the play with a long diagonal pass towards the right byline and Alves made a tremendous effort to keep the ball in play, crossing first-time for Suarez to nip in and head past Fernandez.

Former Barca forward Isaac Cuenca came close to reducing the hosts' deficit early in the second half when he was released through on goal, but Marc-Andre ter Stegen leapt to repel the shot.

At the other end Suarez danced his way into the box to lay on a pass for Neymar at the far post, but Fernandez produced a stunning save.

Neymar and Suarez had the final say though, the Brazilian racing through on goal and sliding the ball to his team-mate to complete his hat-trick and his second title in as many seasons since joining Barcelona.