MADRID, Jan. 19-- Quique Setien kicked off his reign as the new coach of FC Barcelona with a 1-0 win at home to Granada, thanks to a goal from Leo Messi 15 minutes from time. Barca controlled 80 percent of possession, but struggled to break down a well-organized Granada and it was not until the visitors were reduced to 10 men after Gabriel Sanchez was shown a second yellow card with just over 20 minutes to go that Messi scored the vital goal. Granada hit the post in the 65th minute from Yan Brice, but apart from that they posed little threat in attack, although Sunday's game was far from the revolution that some may have expected after Setien replaced Ernesto Valverde on the Barca bench. Real Madrid needed two goals from central midfielder Casemiro to win a controversial game 2-1 at home to Sevilla. All of the goals came in the second half with the Brazilian opening the scoring following a neat chip over the keeper, before Luuk de Jong's left foot finish for the visitors momentarily leveled the scores. Casemiro then sealed three points for Real Madrid with a powerful header, leaving Sevilla to complain bitterly about a first half goal De Jong had ruled out for an off the ball obstruction in the Madrid penalty area. Atletico Madrid had won their last five visits to Eibar's Ipurua Stadium, but Diego Simeone's men once again fired blanks in front of goal, with Joan Felix disappointing. Meanwhile Eibar took advantage of some untypically chaotic defending to win 2-0. |