Barcelona will be bidding to make it three straight wins in all competitions when they head to Nuevo Estadio de Los Carmenes on Sunday evening to face a struggling Granada.
The Catalan outfit are currently second in the table, boasting 20 points from their opening eight matches of the campaign, while Granada are 19th, having picked up just five points from their first eight games.
Match preview
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Granada are the reigning Segunda Division champions, securing a return to the top flight courtesy of their success last season, and they will be bidding to consolidate back at this level of football.
Paco Lopez's side have found it difficult to get going this term, though, boasting a record of one win, two draws and five defeats from eight matches, which has left them down in 19th spot in the table on five points.
The Andalusian outfit recorded a 3-2 win over Mallorca at the end of August, but they have only picked up two points from their last five matches, losing to Real Sociedad, Girona and Las Palmas before drawing against Real Betis and Almeria.
Lopez's side were incredibly three goals behind against Almeria at the interval of their clash on Sunday afternoon, but they scored three times themselves in the second half to secure a share of the spoils.
Granada are actually unbeaten in their last three league games with Barcelona, including draws in both matches during the 2021-22 campaign, while they famously won 2-1 at Camp Nou in April 2021.
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Barcelona, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 victory over Porto in the Champions League on Wednesday evening, which moved the Catalan outfit onto six points in Group H.
Xavi's side are already in a solid position to reach the knockout round of the European Cup, while they have made a strong start to their La Liga campaign, picking up 20 points from eight matches to sit second in the table, one point behind the leaders Real Madrid.
Barcelona have drawn with Getafe and Mallorca in the league this season, in addition to beating Cadiz, Villarreal, Osasuna, Real Betis, Celta Vigo and Sevilla.
The Catalan outfit's next three games after this one are at home, welcoming Athletic Bilbao and Shakhtar Donetsk before Real Madrid visit Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys for El Clasico.
Barcelona will be aiming to challenge on all fronts this season, and there have been plenty of positive signs thus far, but their victory over Porto in Portugal came at a cost, with leading goalscorer Robert Lewandowski picking up an ankle injury which could keep him out for a month or so.
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Granada remain without the services of on-loan Real Madrid centre-back Jesus Vallejo due to a muscular problem, but the home side are otherwise in strong shape ahead of this match.
Lucas Boye and Myrto Uzuni have scored six goals between them this season and are expected to operate in the final third of the field on Sunday night.
Head coach Lopez is set to stick with a 4-4-2 formation, with Antonio Puertas potentially dropping out to allow Uzuni to start, while Jose Callejon should retain his spot in the starting side.
Barcelona, as mentioned, have lost Lewandowski to an ankle injury, which is expected to open the door for Ferran Torres, who netted the winner against Porto, to feature through the middle.
Raphinha, Frenkie de Jong and Pedri are also on the sidelines, with the Catalan team missing four key players at an important stage of the season.
Fermin Lopez has been impressing of late and could potentially come in for a start, while it seems likely that Andreas Christensen will again miss out at the back due to the recent return of Ronald Araujo.
Lamine Yamal and Joao Felix featured in the wide positions against Porto, and the pair are set to continue in the XI for Barcelona's final match ahead of the international break.
Granada possible starting lineup:
Ferreira; Sanchez, Miquel, Torrente, Neva; Callejon, Ruiz, Gumbau, Zaragoza; Uzuni, Boye
Barcelona possible starting lineup:
Ter Stegen; Cancelo, Kounde, Araujo, Balde; Fermin, Romeu, Gavi; Yamal, Torres, Felix
We say: Granada 1-2 Barcelona
Granada's last two league games against Barcelona have finished 1-1, and it would not be a shock to see a draw on Sunday, especially considering the away side's injury issues. However, we are just backing the reigning champions to navigate their way to what would be an important three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Matt Law
