Catalans Forced To Make Lineup Changes

FC Barcelona will be forced to make lineup changes on Sunday, when they face Granada away in a La Liga clash that is a must-win to keep the heat on bitter rivals Real Madrid at the top of the table ahead of El Clasico.

At the Nuevo Estadio de Los Carmenes in the late kick off match in Spain, head coach Xavi Hernandez expects to encounter “the most physical opponent” in the league which runs the most kilometers.

“They have suffered in defence, they have conceded many goals, but they have potential up top.

“They are intense, they put pressure on, they generate a lot [of chances]… We have to avoid transitions and control their direct football,” the manager warned on Saturday.

During his pre-match press conference where he made these comments, Xavi addressed a moment in which Barca have more injuries than usual with Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski all out injured.

Despite this, Xavi instead that his squad hasn’t suffered a “plague”.

“Physically and medically we are doing very well, doing an extraordinary job,” he insisted. “Frenkie and Robert are two ankle [injuries], the product of play and misfortune.”

Lewandowski’s knock as a number nine forces Xavi to deploy the goalscorer of Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Porto in the Champions League – Ferran Torres – in his position.

The development means that Lamine Yamal – who also, like Lewandowski, left the action in the Estadio do Dragao – is without competition on the right wing to take the starting berth while Joao Felix mans the left.

In a three-man midfield, summer signing from Girona Oriol Romeu, who has attracted criticism lately for his displays, is the pivot behind a more advanced pairing of Gavi and the provider of an assist for Torres in Portugal, Ilkay Gundogan.

Across the back line from left to right, Alejandro Balde, Andreas Christensen, Jules Kounde and Joao Cancelo will try to help Marc-Andre ter Stegen keep a clean sheet.

Trailing Madrid by four points ahead of El Clasico on October 28, it is essential that Barca pick up the win in their last outing ahead of the international break.

FC Barcelona Vs. Granada Starting Lineup: Ter Stegen; Balde, Christensen, Kounde, Cancelo; Romeu, Gavi, Gundogan; Felix, Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal