MX23RW : Wednesday, November 27 06:51:46| >> :120:28674:28674:
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Granada logo
La Liga
Feb 28, 2015 at 3pm UK
 
Barcelona logo

1-3

Rico (53' pen.)
FT(HT: 0-1)
Rakitic (25'), Suarez (48'), Messi (70')

Preview: Granada vs. Barcelona

Sports Mole previews Saturday's La Liga clash between Granada and Barcelona.

Barcelona must turn their attention to their domestic form this weekend just a few days after taking a big step towards securing a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

A trip to Granada awaits Luis Enrique's side, who returned to form with an impressive performance in the meeting with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Luis Suarez's brace handed Barcelona a 2-1 victory in the first leg of their last-16 tie, but it could have been even better had Lionel Messi managed to beat Joe Hart with his stoppage-time penalty.

However, the result would have surely come as a relief to Enrique after his side's shock 1-0 loss to Malaga at Camp Nou last Saturday.

That defeat ended a run of 11 successive victories in all competitions, and it also allowed Real Madrid to extend their advantage to four points at the top of the table.

Enrique will be fully aware that another slip-up could hand the title to Real, and another winning run is crucial ahead of next month's second El Clasico of the season.

Changes are likely after the trip to Manchester in midweek, with Xavi and Jeremy Mathieu both pushing for recalls, while Claudio Bravo is set to replace Marc-Andre ter Stegen in goal.

An upset seems unlikely, but Granada would take huge confidence from a positive result as they continue their battle to avoid relegation.

Abel Resino's side are currently 19th, four points from safety, and they have only managed to record one win from 14 games in all competitions since the start of December.

Granada's season took another disappointing turn last weekend as Levante scored twice late on to secure victory in a vital game between two of the league's struggling sides.

Red cards to both Adrian Colunga and Youssef El Arabi mean that they will both miss the visit of Barcelona, and Resino will be forced into an attacking reshuffle as a result.

Granada:

Recent form: LDWLDL

Possible starting lineup: Olazabal, Nyom, Mainz, Babin, Foulquier, Marquez, Bangoura, Iturra, Carlos, El Riki, Isaac

Barcelona:

Form in La Liga: WWWWWL
Form in all competitions: WWWWLW

Possible starting lineup: Bravo; Alves, Mathieu, Mascherano, Alba; Busquets, Iniesta, Xavi; Neymar, Messi, Suarez

Sports Mole says: 0-3


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Barcelona's coach Luis Enrique celebrates after a goal during the Spanish league football match FC Barcelona vs Club Atletico de Madrid at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on January 11, 2015
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona14111242142834
2Real Madrid1393128111730
3Atletico MadridAtletico148512181329
4Villarreal137422521425
5Athletic Bilbao146532013723
6Osasuna146441922-322
7GironaGirona146352018221
8Mallorca146351312121
9Real BetisBetis145541616020
10Real Sociedad145361111018
11Celta Vigo145362224-218
12Sevilla145361318-518
13Rayo Vallecano134451314-116
14Leganes143561319-614
15Getafe142751011-113
16AlavesAlaves144191524-913
17Las PalmasLas Palmas143381825-712
18Valencia122461219-710
19Espanyol133191226-1410
20Real ValladolidValladolid142391027-179


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