Thursday Football Tips: Go for Griezmann against Granada

Barcelona v Granada
Thursday 29 April, 18:00 BST kick-off
Live on LaLiga TV

After back-to-back winners in this column, we're heading back to Spain in search of the hat-trick.

You just get the sense that this is a really bad time to play Barcelona, who can finally go to the top of La Liga for the first time this season with a win over Granada.

Defeat against Real Madrid in El Clasico was a blow, but Barca have responded by winning the Copa Del Rey against Athletic Bilbao and wins over Getafe and Valladolid to get their title challenge back on track.

In Granada they face a team with just one win in their last 10 away league games (D2 L7), although they do usually find the back of the net with their last eight seeing both teams score.

There have been plenty of goals at both ends at the Nou Camp as well, just over two-thirds of their La Liga home games have seen both teams score.

With 19 out of 21 points at home in 2021, while Barca are huge odds-on to win, the Barcelona win with both teams to score is a relatively value price of 2.35/4 and well worth consideration.

The player stats also see some prohibitive prices with Lionel Messi and company expected to get plenty of efforts in on goal and score plenty.

It's hardly rocket science to sit here and praise the virtues of arguably the greatest player of all time, but there's a Betfair OddsBoost that immediately catches the eye involving the Argentinian and strike partner Antoine Griezmann.

The French World Cup winner has struggled at times but he's hit a spot of form recently with five goals in his last six league games.

The two could finally be clicking so the 3.55/2 on them both having two shots on target here really appeals.

You don't have to worry about Messi on this score, yes he only had one in his last outing but his previous five games have yielded at least two shots on target.

Griezmann would be the worry, but he had three shots on target last game and he has a particular liking for playing Granada - being involved in 13 goals in 17 games against them (eight goals, five assists).

He scored twice in the last league meeting, as indeed did Messi, and although you can't guarantee that again, the boost on their two shots on target looks a solid value play in a one-sided betting heat.