Barcelona manager Xavi urges team to avoid early mistakes after Joao Felix goal controversy

In a thrilling LaLiga encounter, Barcelona's substitute Sergi Roberto emerged as the hero by scoring a late equalizer to secure a 2-2 draw against Granada. However, the spotlight of the match was stolen by 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal, who became LaLiga's youngest-ever goalscorer at the age of 16 years and 87 days.

Granada's Bryan Zaragoza had a scintillating first half, netting two goals that gave the hosts a comfortable two-goal lead. But just before the halftime whistle, Yamal, with remarkable composure, struck from close range to put Barcelona back in contention.

As the second half unfolded, Barcelona pressed relentlessly, and their efforts were rewarded in the 86th minute when Sergi Roberto found the back of the net, salvaging a crucial point for his team.

The draw places Barcelona in the third position on the LaLiga table, with 21 points from nine games, just one point behind Girona and three points adrift of leaders Real Madrid. Atletico Madrid occupy the fourth spot with 19 points, with a game in hand.

Lamine Yamal's historic goal shattered the previous LaLiga record held by Fabrice Olinga of Malaga, who scored at the age of 16 years and 98 days back in 2012. Yamal's meteoric rise had seen him break records earlier in the season, becoming Barcelona's youngest debutant and Spain's youngest international and scorer.

Granada's Bryan Zaragoza, despite his first-half brilliance, missed several opportunities to extend his team's lead. He even struck the post in the 87th minute, just after Sergi Roberto's equalizer.

The match was not without controversy, as a late Joao Felix goal for Barcelona was ruled out for a contentious offside decision in the build-up, leaving manager Xavi Hernandez frustrated.

Despite the disappointment, Xavi expressed his satisfaction with his team's performance, emphasising the need to avoid early mistakes in future matches. Barcelona fans are now eagerly awaiting Lamine Yamal's continued development as a rising star in the football world.

"I think we deserved more but paid for our mistakes. It's clear we can't go out on the pitch like that," Xavi told DAZN. "We were patient, we dominated. Perhaps it's our match with the most possession and we had many chances. Pity is that we had to come back from 2-0 down after two counter-attacks. My feeling as a whole is good, but we dropped two points."