Welcome back to TalkBarca. Our topic for today is the Match Preview of Barcelona vs Granada. After a long break, La Liga is set to be in action once again, and we are heading towards a rather difficult fixture. Granada is a team that does not seem easier on paper, but, can prove to be really tough for us once we come face to face with them on the pitch.
Granada is currently on 10th position on the La Liga table with 27 points. On the other hand, FC Barcelona is currently on 2nd due to Real Madrid’s recent victory in this week’s fixture. If Barca manages to win this game with a decent enough score, not necessarily a big goal difference, we are most likely to be on the top again.
Yes, I am getting to the part every one of you is eager to talk about. This is indeed a start of a new era over here at the Camp Nou. Quique Setien is now in charge as our head manager, and I am really excited to see him heading into his first game. I really want us to win and win in such a way that we send out a message to all haters that FC Barcelona is back and the bad days are over.
Quique’s tactics which saw in the past are really versatile, and one thing which is assured is that he is a really attack-oriented manager. This means that Setien is going to provide us with the main game tactic we needed the most. Valverde was more focused on playing defensively and we saw Barcelona parking the bus even against smaller sides just after a vulnerable 1-0 lead. This is surely not going to happen under Quique Setien. So, without further ado, let’s start our Match Preview of Barcelona vs Granada.
ONA VS GRANADA MATCH PREVIEW
Kick Off Time:
Barcelona vs Granada will kick of at 09:00 PM as per the local time in Spain. You can check the kick off timings for your respective region in the following images:
Squad:
- The club issued the name of the players which were selected by the manager for the clash against Granada. These players are:
- Goalkeepers: Ter Stegen and Neto.
- Defenders: Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba, Roberto, Umtiti, and Firpo.
- Midfielders: Rakitic, Busquets, Arthur, Vidal, and Riqui Puig.
- Forwards: Messi, Griezmann, Carlos Perez, and Ansu Fati.
Expected Starting Lineup:
Goalkeeper:
Ter Stegen has returned from his minor injury and he is hopefully going to start against Granada. We already know how good Ter Stegen is. He has been our savior not only this season but for the past seasons as well. Furthermore, Ter Stegen has really developed into a world-class goalkeeper who has different qualities and rather better qualities than other professional goalkeepers.
His reflexes and reading of the game are phenomenal. Furthermore, we also know that he is really good at his feet which makes him a complete package. He already has 2 assists this season, and I would not be a bit surprised if I see more from him. Our opponents, Granada are surely going to pull regular counter-attacks on us, and it is going to take a lot of involvement of Ter Stegen to stop them from scoring goals.
We know that Granada can trouble us. It has happened in the past, and if we are not good enough, it is going to happen again. Our defense really needs to be on point. Let’s take a look at that.
Defenders:
Our defense really needs to be good if we want to win this game. Gerrard Pique and Clement Lenglet are the most likely Central Defenders to start the game. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Umtiti making his way into the starting XI. Other than this, Jordi Alba and Sergio Roberto are the likely Left Back and Right Back respectively. I do expect our defensive issues to be resolved under Quique Setien, but, this is way easier said than done.
Our Centre Backs are really lacking proper rhythm in their game. I am emphasizing this fact for almost a week that both Lenglet and Pique need to develop better coordination together. They are unaware of each other’s position, and I personally feel that Lenglet needs to be tougher on the ball. Umtiti is another option in the center back. However, he is also really loose and he needs to get back in form. Clement is a better option than Umitit currently. To be honest, Umtiti is not yet able to stand up to the hype his usual self. Lenglet has been a consistent performer for us ever since he joined Barcelona. So, he is most likely to start the game. Meanwhile, Jordi Alba and Roberto are in fine touch. They are the players in form and I do expect them to perform better.
Midfielder:
Arthur Melo is back from injury and there are a lot of chances that we see him in action against Granada. However, there are also many chances that he starts the game. Obviously, he is yet to make his way up to his full fitness, but, I am hopeful and expecting a world-class performance from Arthur Melo.
I expect Arthur, Busquests, and Vidal to start the game. These three are by far the best midfielders we have in our Arsenal. Vidal is in a great form, and he is exactly turning into the kind of attacking plus defensive force we really need in our midfield. Vidal is never scared to go into tackles or win headers. He is fearless and he is a true fighter. He has for sure made himself worthy enough to make a starting place in the squad.
Frenkie De Jong is going to miss the game due to suspension. His consistency and his amazing footballing mentality have made him stand out in our squad in no time. Frenkie is really good in any sort of situation and he is always there where his team needs him to be. Therefore, we are surely going to fee his absence in the midfield. Sergio Busquests is a gem and we all know this don’t we? Sergio is our unsung hero and someone who has worked for us with consistency. Busquets is the real unsung hero of our team, and it never looked as if he minds not getting into the real limelight. Overall, our midfield is really sorted. Our midfield contains all the qualities to dominate Granada and get us the 3 points.
Attackers:
Yes, Lionel Messi is going to start on the Right Wing. However, that is not really important news for now. Something really significant is that Luis Suarez is injured and this means that Antoine Griezmann can finally play in his desired number 9 role. I expect Quique Setien to be smart enough of not using Griezmann on the wing, and Ansu Fati might be the starter on the Left Wing. There are chances that we may see Carles Perez as well. Let’s see how creative Quique Setien can be with his lineup choices.
TACTICAL ANALYSIS:
There is no significant tactical analysis for the game. However, I believe that Quique is not going to play much with the lineup just yet. He is most likely to stick to 4 defenders, 3 midfielders, and 3 attackers. This is because he is new to the system yet and is still not fully familiar with our squad. However, there are chances that we use an extra midfielder and continue with 2 strikers, Messi and Griezmann. All of it is yet ready to be unveiled. We have to wait for the game.
Score Prediction:
I think Barcelona is going to win this game with a 3-0 scoreline. Setien is known as a really attacking oriented coach and I expect to see that in this game tonight.
Verdict:
Anyway, this is it for Barcelona vs Granada Match Preview. I hope you like our Match Preview. What are your thoughts on our game? Are you as excited as I am? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below. Until next time, Visca El Barca!
