Barça goes to Granada without Lewandowski’s gunpowder
BARCELONA, 7 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
FC Barcelona visits Granada CF this Sunday at the Nuevo Los Cármenes (9:00 p.m.), on matchday 9 of LaLiga EA Sports, with the major absence due to injury of its ‘Pichichi’ Robert Lewandowski but with the spirit of victory in the ‘Champions’ ‘ still very fresh, which can give them wings against a Granada that is penultimate and wants to turn around its situation.
It will be the last game before a new national team break and Barça, with significant casualties and fatigue in several men, hopes to recover their sensations upon returning from these international dates. First, however, they have the obligation to draw strength from their weakness to beat a Granada team that, for its part, dreams of scoring points at any cost.
Barça does not arrive at this event at its best, at a football level. While it is true that the midweek victory in Porto (0-1) was a great balm, due to the importance of a duel that was the most complicated in the group stage, the team’s good play is beginning to freeze at times. Success drops and defensive errors appear out of nowhere.
Furthermore, in that duel at the Estádio do Dragão 3 points were won but much more was lost; Robert Lewandowski’s goals. The Polish striker, top scorer so far this year, will be out for a few weeks due to a sprained ankle caused by a rival. And center back Ronald Araujo and winger Lamine Yamal – renewed and armored – ended up injured.
Without Lewandowski, without the closest thing to synonymous with goals that Xavi Hernández has, the Blaugrana coach should opt for placing Ferran Torres at the spearhead. The Valencian scored the winning goal in Porto, asking for more if possible to fill the vacant ‘9’ position that the team will have in the coming weeks.
But it’s not just ‘Lewangol’ that needs to be covered. Lamine Yamal ended up with stomach problems and Xavi already said that they must take care of him on and off the field. Araujo, who was coming off a previous injury, might not force. And in Granada the confirmed absences of Pedri, Raphinha and Frenkie De Jong will not be safe.
So, with what we have, Barça must win in this final match of the day to not lose steam. He will know what Real Madrid and Girona FC, his rivals for the leadership, have done, and he could have more or less external pressure, although the internal pressure will be the same; win or win.
And they face a Granada team that hasn’t won in five days. If Barça is second in the table, one point behind the leader Real Madrid, the Nasrids are penultimate – second from bottom – with just 5 points added, thanks to one win and two draws, so far this campaign. Against Barça, a lot to gain and little to lose.
Paco López’s team has not won since they defeated RCD Mallorca 3-2 at the Nuevo Los Cármenes on August 26. Since then, defeats against Real Sociedad, Girona and Las Palmas and, in the last two days, two draws in two Andalusian duels against Real Betis and UD Almería.
For this match, the Granada coach will not be able to count on Víctor Díaz or Raúl Fernández, who are injured in their knees and hands, respectively. But the most likely thing is that he can count on defender Jesús Vallejo, who received the medical discharge this week and was able to get into the rhythm of training.
DATASHEET.
–POSIBLE ALIGNMENTS.
GRANADA CF: Ferreira; Puertas, Miguel Rubio, Torrente, Miquel, Neva; Villar, Gumbau; Bryan, Boyé and Uzuni.
FC BARCELONA: Ter Stegen; Cancelo, Koundé, Christensen, Balde; Romeu, Gündogan, Gavi; Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres and João Félix.
–REFEREE: Soto Grado (C. Riojano).
–STADIUM: Nuevo Los Cármenes.