Barcelona have been having a bizarre run of form in the last month or so, falling to multiple draws in the league before coasting to a Club World Cup championship in December. They closed 2015 out with a thumping win in the league, but were flat in a 0-0 draw against local rivals Espanyol in league action last weekend before destroying them in a Copa del Rey match at midweek. They’ll be hoping the upswing lasts another match or two, because Barcelona need to beat Granada in a bad way or they risk falling further behind in the La Liga title race.
Barcelona vs. Granada 2016 live stream: Start time, TV schedule and how to watch La Liga online
Barcelona need to win to avoid falling behind in the La Liga title picture -- but Granada should be a good chance for them to vent some frustrations.
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Make no mistake -- winning the Club World Cup and advancing in the Copa and Champions League are all great things for Barcelona, but the Blaugranes are all about the league. With Atletico Madrid holding a two point lead in the table thanks to Barcelona drawing Espanyol last weekend, they need a win in order to make sure that, at worst, they don’t fall further behind. With Atletico facing a tougher opponent in Celta Vigo this weekend -- a team that actually beat Barcelona 4-1 this season and who currently sit fifth in the table -- Barcelona will be hoping that the current leaders stumble. A draw in their rival’s match would allow Barca to pull even with them atop the table with a win over Granada -- and if Celta upset Atleti and win, first place would be firmly in Barcelona’s hands once more.
Key player -- Neymar (Barcelona)
While Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez draw plenty of plaudits, it’s Neymar who has perhaps quietly been the best Barcelona player this season so far. The Brazilian has taken huge strides forward in his game, and facing a struggling opponent like Granada would be a wonderful chance for him to show off just how good he’s become. If anyone in Barcelona’s attack is going to carry the team on his shoulders in this match, it’s going to be Neymar.
Key matchup -- Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) vs. Rene Krhin (Granada)
Krhin has been a valuable part of Granada’s efforts to control the game in the center of the pitch, both in terms of his ability in the possession game and his ability to break up play for his opposition. Of course, in the defensive phase he’ll be going up against one of the masters of the game in Iniesta, and he’s going to have his hands very, very full in his efforts to keep Iniesta at bay. If he can’t, it’s going to put a lot of pressure on the rest of Granada’s midfield to cope with Barcelona’s passing game.
Barcelona injuries and suspensions
Out: Rafinha
Granada injuries and suspensions
Out: Dimitri Foulquier
Match Date/Time: Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, 4 p.m. local
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
TV: beIN Sports (U.S. & Canada - English), beIN Sports en Español (U.S. & Canada - Spanish), Canal+ Liga/HD, Movistar TV Futbol (Spain)
Online: beIN Sports Connect, Fubo TV (U.S. & Canada)
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