MATCH PREVIEW: Granada v FC Barcelona
La Liga marches on and after Barça's excellent win over Athletic at San Mamés on Wednesday, the blaugranes continue their run of away fixtures with a trip to the Nuevo Los Cármenes on Saturday to take on Granada, kick off 6.30pm CET.
Opponents
Granada come into the game on the back of a 2-0 defeat away at Eibar in La Liga. However, in midweek they were able to make it to the last 32 of the Copa del Rey with a 2-1 over Cultural Leonesa although they needed extra time to defeat the Second Division B side.
History
The teams meet for the first time this season and the return fixture will take place at Camp Nou in April in La Liga. Last season Barça were handed a 2-0 defeat in the Nuevo Los Cármenes at the hands of Diego Martínez's side who went on to finish the campaign in 7th place, their best ever finish in La Liga, and qualify for European competition for the very first time in their history.
Barça's form
The blaugranes face their third fixture of 2021 and the third of a possible run of seven consecutive games away from Camp Nou. After three straight wins away from home against Valladolid, Huesca and Athletic, Barça will be keen to make it four and keep within striking distance of the two teams above them in the table, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid.
Coach Ronald Koeman named his squad for the game in Andalusia after Friday's final training session:
Ter Stegen, Dest, R. Araujo, Sergio, Griezmann, Pjanic, Braithwaite, Messi, O. Dembélé, Riqui Puig, Neto, Pedri, Trincao, Jordi Alba, Matheus, F. De Jong, Umtiti, Junior, Iñaki Peña, Ilaix, O. Mingueza and Konrad.
The Barça boss also appeared before the press on Friday to deliver a message that his team cannot afford any more slip ups in La Liga.