السبت، 28 فبراير 2015

Observations from Granada vs. Barcelona


Granada hosted FC Barcelona at the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes, as Barca attempted to sacrifice them to further their La Liga assault. Barca fought hard for a 3-1 win. Here are a few observations from the game.


It was a tough game, but Barca showed their class


The last time Barca played Granada away, we ended up losing 1-0; it was one of those games. Playing Granada away always seems to be a tough fixture for Barca, and it was no different this time around. A hard fought 3-1 was enough to sink Barca’s opponents; yet each goal was hard fought for. Barca doesn’t have the best record at the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes, with a couple of losses. This time however, Granada came out the losing side. One goal each from Rakitic, Suárez, and Leo Messi saw the home team off. Granada however got a goal of their own after Bartra gave away a penalty, which was converted. All in all, it was a good win for Barca, and a much needed 3 pts in the bag.


Granada are classless


The Granada players play like animals, worse in fact. Being physical is one thing, but being rash and dangerous is a whole other. Fouls all over the pitch were occurring, caused mostly by the home team. Dani Alves got his nose bloodied within the opening three minutes and, when Barca retaliated with fouls of their own, Granada could not go face to face, and their players started flopping like a fish out of water. Granada played with a complete lack of discipline, and I can safely say that if they get relegated this season, I will not feel a drop of pity for them. Absolutely classless display.


Dani has no right to be mad


Dani Alves’s performances this season continue to regress. He had a terrible performance against Malaga, which cost us three points, a decent showing against Manchester City, and yet another below par showing today. If he wants a new contract, he’d best step up his urgency, otherwise he’ll be out the door. For Barca fans, Danilo can’t get here fast enough.


But in the meantime, he has no right for these kinds of reactions:



Suárez should not have been subbed off, Neymar should have


Luis Suárez is fast becoming one of Barca’s best and most consistent performers. He bagged another goal today. And guess what, he bagged an assist as well. He also scored two goals against Manchester City midweek, which I’m saying as if every Barca fan in the world didn’t know already. Suárez has now scored 10 goals in all competitions. He is starting to understand the Barca style of play, and goals are starting to flow. Twenty goals this season could be a realistic target for Suárez, a personal slap in the face to FIFA for banning him.


Neymar on the other hand seemed quite tired. Even against Manchester City Neymar was out of sorts, as he was against Malaga. Neymar lost the ball constantly this game, and his movement was lethargic, and it’s quite obvious that he needs: rest. With a game against Rayo Vallecano coming up, Lucho would do well to bench Neymar lest he get injured.


Rakitic is Barca’s best midfielder at the moment


Rakitic was sublime today as he was midweek against Manchester City. His passing was crisp, his movements fluid, and he scored as well. Aside from that, his famous work rate was on display today as well. He was defending, attacking, passing, and everything in between. He is a definite starter in Barca’s midfield, and is a key part in how this team’s midfield works. His large frame and industry help put steel in our midfield, which helps against overly physical sides like Granada were today. Rakitic deserves a round of applause.







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La Liga: Granada CF 1-3 FC Barcelona: Match Review


A recap of Barcelona's 3-1 La Liga victory over Granada, as Luis Suarez inspired the Blaugrana to a crucial win at the Nuevo Los Carmenes


FC Barcelona’s quality shone through on Saturday afternoon in Andalusia, as a less-than vintage Blaugrana performance still produced a valuable three points, as Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitić inspired Barça to a crucial win over Granada CF. The Croatian midfielder grabbed the opener in the first-half and turned creator in the second to setup Luis Suarez for the second and play a part in the third, assisted by Suarez and scored by Lionel Messi after a Fran Rico penalty had given the hosts a brief glimmer of hope.
























































Granada



Barcelona



Possession



33%



67%



Total Shots



10



16



Shots on Target



4



9



Corners



4



5



Fouls



18



9



Offsides



3



7



Yellow Cards



1



3



Red Cards



0



0





Compared to last weekend’s defeat against Malaga CF, Luis Enrique made four changes to his starting line-up, only one of which was forced through Gerard Piqué’s suspension. The tactical decisions therefore were to drop Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta and Rafinha Alcântara to the bench, with Jeremy Mathieu, Marc Bartra, Ivan Rakitić and Xavi Hernández all rotating in. That of course meant a midfield role for Javier Mascherano, while Neymar also started in spite of the calls asking for the Brazilian to be rested.


Clearly, Luis Enrique was taking this match very seriously indeed and believed that he needed his best players on the field to break down one of the league’s most deceptively impressive home defenses. Would the Blaugrana be able to improve upon last weekend’s poor performance, or would Granada deal Barça’s title hopes another significant blow?


***


The match started in rather disjointed fashion on a bright afternoon in Andalusia, as less than a minute had passed before Dani Alves collided with Javi Marquez. The Brazilian got to the ball first, but was caught not once but twice by the Spanish midfielder – first with a high boot to the groin/waist area and second with hand to the face. With a cut on the bridge of his nose to show for his troubles, Alves received some treatment and was ultimately able to carry on, while Marquez was deservedly shown a yellow card.


While that incident certainly excused a slow start, it doesn’t really explain why Barça were still looking relatively pedestrian after a quarter of an hour. The only difference between this game and the loss to Malaga was that we hadn’t conceded, because we were experiencing the same challenges with creating chances and generally playing any kind of "good football".


However, in time we grew into the match and there were signs of life; Suarez and Neymar were both making good runs behind the Granada defense only to be denied a chance on goal by the offside flag. Fractions of an inch: that’s all that was in it, and in time Barça were going to get one right.


As it turned out, they didn’t have to wait too long either. Mere minutes after Neymar was caught offside, Jordi Alba’s lofted pass over the top of the Granada backline was perfectly timed and superbly weighted for the run of Luis Suarez. Whether the Uruguayan was going for goal or not, his effort ended up well off-target but Barça benefitted from a touch of fotune. Granada tried to clear the danger, but in doing so made a mistake and gifted a chance to Ivan Rakitić.


The Croatian had an open goal at his mercy and he made no mistake, firing the ball low into the back of the net to hand Barcelona the lead. All those fears, all those nerves – gone with the swing of a boot. Rakitić raced to the bench to celebrate with Marc-André ter Stegen and it was all smiles for FC Barcelona.


In spite of that opener, Barça really didn’t improve an awful lot with their lead; Leo Messi had been somewhat quiet in comparison to Tuesday, but combining with Ivan Rakitić to great effect he had a chance on goal – controlling a difficult cross before firing a volley towards net. It was a sumptuous piece of play from our Argentine magician, but his shot flew agonisingly over the crossbar.


At the other end, Marc Bartra survived a contentious penalty appeal for his challenge on Jhon Cordoba before Claudio Bravo was called into action for the first time to make a spectacular save and keep Barça’s lead intact. Javi Marquez was the man he denied, as the Catalan midfielder’s fierce, accurate effort was palmed around the post by the Chilean keeper.


At half-time it was clear that there was room for improvement for FC Barcelona, but with a one-goal lead at least they were doing enough.


***


As the second-half began however, Granada were very much still in with a chance of securing a result. They were looking somewhat dangerous on the counter-attack and after a mistake from Jeremy Mathieu, Lass Bangoura had a chance to run at the Barça defense. He got past Alves with relative ease and his cross was dangerous, teasing Jhon Cordoba to make a move – but before he could, Bravo got there first. His intervention was crucial and within moments, Barça were up at the other end and doubling their lead.


Luis Suarez had been involved in the opener, scored by Ivan Rakitić and this time, the roles were reversed. The Uruguayan forward played a one-two with Rakitić, and the return pass from the Croatian was simply phenomenal. The Granada defense had been split and Suarez held his own against the challenges to slot the ball past Oier Olazábal and into the back of the net.


That’s how you start a half – Barcelona had doubled their advantage and surely won the three points, right? Wrong. Within minutes, Granada grabbed themselves a lifeline. Lass Bangoura was involved again, skipping past the challenge of Dani Alves before jinking past Marc Bartra. The Catalan defender left out a leg and Bangoura was brought down – the referee had no choice. He had to point to the spot.


Fran Rico stepped up and perhaps showed Lionel Messi how it’s done with a superb penalty, burying his shot into the corner of the net. Bravo had no chance, and suddenly, Granada were back in the game.


How would Barcelona respond? Well, in Neymar’s case he would pick up a yellow card. Clearly, the Brazilian needs a rest – and that’s what he will get now that he has picked up his fifth yellow card of the season. Jeremy Mathieu also picked up a yellow and survived an appeal for a second too after he clumsily collided with Lass Bangoura.


This match really was in the balance, and Lucho made his first change in an attempt to wrap up the three points: off went Xavi, on came Rafinha and therefore Lionel Messi would captain the side for the final 25 minutes. Would he lead by example as well and end the game as a contest by scoring Barça’s third of the evening?


Yes. Yes he would.


It was a gift of a goal as well as Luis Suarez again turned creator. Ivan Rakitić sprung the offside trap with another jaw-dropping pass to find Suarez who rounded Oier, and selflessly squared the ball in front of an open goal for Messi to apply the finish. Game over, Barça had finally put this game to bed.


Cue more changes from Enrique; Busquets replaced the cautioned Jeremy Mathieu with about a quarter of an hour to play while Man of the Match, Luis Suarez was also withdrawn for Pedro. Barça moved into conservation mode – playing out the remainder of the match without much note, conserving their energy for the all-important Copa del Rey semi-final clash coming up in midweek against Villarreal CF.


Until then, Visca el Barça!




























Roll Call Info
Total comments396
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Commenter listAbdul95, Abohabiba, Anders Thomassen, AngelCul1, AraibKarim, Arnau22S, Barca Boy, BarcaLifer, CoolCulé, Daniel_Cule_13, Delano Heerkens, FCB_Z8, Hazara fc, Inder Methil, JordiBalboa, M. Elzi, Navz, Omniscius, PG9, Piquénbauer, Ragnar_Lothbrok, Rajesh1101s, Som-i-Serem, Swn.Culé, Uncharted_Almo, Willis1984, craig00000, cule-since-1992, feeya7, halsey, hobo_barca, jithen, levix, llamas612, luck-ycoltsfan19, pranaydhone, shirishstha, shubham2806, sikandar.ahmadi, sudama.baraily, uday kakoti
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#Commenter# Comments
1Anders Thomassen 65
2craig00000 45
3Abohabiba 29
4luck-ycoltsfan19 26
5Hazara fc 25
6shubham2806 25
7Delano Heerkens 21
8Barca Boy 19
9Som-i-Serem 17
10Uncharted_Almo 16
11Willis1984 11
12levix 7
13jithen 7
14shirishstha 6
15halsey 6
16Abdul95 6
17M. Elzi 5
18Inder Methil 5
19JordiBalboa 4
20AngelCul1 4
21feeya7 4
22Swn.Culé 4
23BarcaLifer 4
24cule-since-1992 4
25pranaydhone 4
26Ragnar_Lothbrok 3
27PG9 3
28AraibKarim 2
29FCB_Z8 2
30llamas612 2
31uday kakoti 2
32Arnau22S 2
33Rajesh1101s 2
34Daniel_Cule_13 2
35sudama.baraily 1
36Omniscius 1
37hobo_barca 1
38Navz 1
39sikandar.ahmadi 1
40CoolCulé 1
41Piquénbauer 1





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La Liga: Granada CF vs FC Barcelona: Live Game Thread


Live game thread for the La Liga match between Granada and Barcelona


La Liga: Jornada 25

Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes, Granada

Kickoff: Saturday, 28 February 2015; 16:00 CET

Referee: Santiago Jaime Latre


Line-ups:


Granada CF (4-5-1): 1. Oier Olazabal; 2. Allan Nyom, 6. Jean Sylvain Babin, 19. Juan Cala, 22. Dimitri Foulquier; 15. Lass Bangoura, 4. Fran Rico, 16. Manuel Iturra, 8. Javi Marquez, 21. Robert Ibanez; 18. Jhon Cordoba


Substitutes: 13. Roberto, 3. Luis Martins, 7. Joao Candeias, 12. Ruben Perez, 23. Ruben Rochina, 24. Jeison Murillo, 29. Isaac Success


Coach: Abel Resino


***


FC Barcelona (4-3-3): 13. Claudio Bravo; 22. Dani Alves, 15. Marc Bartra, 24. Jeremy Mathieu, 18. Jordi Alba; 14. Javier Mascherano, 6. Xavi Hernandez, 4. Ivan Rakitic; 10. Lionel Messi, 9. Luis Suarez, 11. Neymar


Substitutes: 1. Marc-Andre ter Stegen, 2. Martin Montoya, 5. Sergio Busquets, 7. Pedro Rodriguez, 8. Andres Iniesta, 12. Rafinha Alcantara, 21. Adriano Correia


Coach: Luis Enrique






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FC Barcelona News: 28 February 2015: El Clasico Could Be Postponed, Barça Prepare For Granada


The credible threats surrounding another La Liga strike scheduled for the weekend of the Clasico have gained momentum in recent days, while Barça prepare for Granada



Following the terrific Champions League win at Manchester City midweek, Barça now travel to relegation-threatened Granada in La Liga (Saturday 4.00pm CET), where they’ll be keen to make up for last weekend’s disappointing home defeat to Málaga.


Barça are leaving for Granada on Friday evening ahead of their 4.00pm CET kick-off in Saturday’s league fixture. After training, Luis Enrique announced his squad of eighteen, which forcibly excludes Gerard Piqué, who is suspended. Douglas has been declared fully fit, but misses out nonetheless, and there no places for Sergi Roberto or Masip either.


If Tuesday was sublime, Saturday was ridiculous. Luis Enrique's Barcelona were at their brilliant best as they produced a masterclass of attacking football in their 2-1 win at Manchester City in midweek but looked lost as they suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at home to Malaga just days earlier. So which is the real Blaugrana?

El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid could be postponed due to strike | Metro News


The El Clasico showdown between Barcelona and Real Madrid next month could be postponed because of a proposed La Liga strike over television rights. Clubs in Spain want rights to be sold in the same way as they are in England and Italy, where clubs share the profits more equally.


Luis Enrique hints at extended Dani Alves stay as Barcelona touch down donning double denim in Grenada | Daily Mail Online


Meanwhile coach Luis Enrique has given strong public backing to fullback Dani Alves, suggesting he wants the Brazil international to remain at the club beyond the end of this season. Alves is yet to agree an extension to his contract, which expires in June, raising the possibility the 31-year-old will leave the club he joined from La Liga rivals Sevilla in July 2008.


Espanyol beats Cordoba 1-0 in Spanish league


Espanyol midfielder Abraham Gonzalez scored shortly before halftime to earn his side a 1-0 home win over bottom-placed Cordoba in the Spanish league on Friday. Gonzalez drove in a strike from the edge of the area after striker Felipe Caicedo had headed the ball back to him two minutes before the interval.


Real Madrid president summoned to court - Goal.com


Real Madrid president Florentino Perez will testify in a corruption case after being called upon by a judge. Reports emerged through news agency Efe that Spanish giants' director would be required to attend court as a witness as judge Eloy Velasco investigates the behaviour of businessmen, individuals, clerks and councilors from various municipalities about alleged payments for the awarding of contracts.


Almeria handed three-point deduction - Liga 2013-2014 - Football - Eurosport Australia


FIFA has imposed a three-point La Liga deduction on Almeria for owing training rights to foreign clubs. The issue centres on the Andalucians’ signing of Michael Jakobsen from Esbjerg in 2011, and the Danish club claim they are owed between 50,000 and 60,000 in royalty payments.






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La Liga: Granada CF vs FC Barcelona: Predict the Score


A chance for you to predict the score of this afternoon's La Liga clash between FC Barcelona and Granada CF


Bouncing back from last weekend's defeat was always going to be a priority for Luis Enrique and his FC Barcelona side, although the manner in which they did so on Tuesday against Manchester City was most pleasing. For the first 45 minutes, Barcelona were back to their absolute best, dominating and ultimately toying with one of Europe's finest teams en route to an eventual 2-1 victory. Gone are the days when Barça struggled on their travels in Europe, at least on the basis of this performance.


A repeat would be most welcome this afternoon; turning their attentions back to La Liga, Barcelona simply have to secure a result against Granada CF if they wish to remain in the title race. Last weekend's shock defeat to Malaga CF has ensured that there is no more room for error in the remaining 14 matches of the campaign.


And in that sense, this match against Granada could be one of our toughest of the campaign. The pressure on the team to secure a result is extraordinary; while the midweek exertions against Manchester City may well have an impact on our energy levels. Likewise, we have another important match coming up in midweek: a Copa del Rey semi-final second-leg against Villarreal CF. Couple all this with Granada's deceptively impressive home form, and well, this is the very definition of a "banana skin fixture".


How do you see this afternoon's match going? Will Barcelona be able to pick up where they left off on Tuesday, or can Granada emulate their local rivals, Malaga and secure a shock result? Predict the score of the match by commenting with your prediction below. Best of luck!






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La Liga: Granada CF vs FC Barcelona: Full Match Coverage


Full coverage of FC Barcelona's crucial La Liga trip to Andalusia, as they prepare to visit Nuevo Los Carmenes to take on relegation-threatened Granada CF


After the excitement of a midweek UEFA Champions League win against Manchester City, FC Barcelona must turn their attentions back to the La Liga title race, as they look to get their domestic campaign back on track with a win against Granada CF. For the second successive week, Barça will be kicking off at 16:00 CET on a Saturday – a starting time that we have traditionally struggled to adapt to and find our usual rhythm.


Indeed, the quintessential example of this came just last week; a lacklustre, lethargic Barcelona outfit boasting all its star names succumbed to a shock 0-1 defeat against Malaga CF, leaving the Blaugrana four points adrift of league leaders, Real Madrid. Certainly, there can be no repeat of that dismal performance this week if Barça wish to keep their title hopes alive.


In fact, this weekend may yet turn out to be a good one for Luis Enrique; a win against Granada would temporarily close the gap back down to one point and a somewhat out of sorts Real Madrid face a tough test in Villarreal. Who knows? Maybe the Yellow Submarine are capable of stealing a point, or even grabbing all three at the Santiago Bernabeu and this weekend could merely be the latest twist in this season’s epic title battle?


Of course, it’s all conjecture at this point: a series of "what ifs" engineered to promote a sense of optimism in the face of difficult circumstances. Real Madrid will probably win regardless and maintain their healthy lead over the Blaugrana – but either way, Barça simply have to get a result.


Irrespective of their league position, Granada will pose a tough test for Lucho’s side as well; they might be languishing near the foot of the table but their home form is strong and many a side have visited the Nuevo Los Carmenes this season only to leave frustrated. Will Barça suffer a similar fate, or can they find a way to break down one of the league’s toughest home defenses?


TEAM NEWS


BARCELONA


Great news everyone! Douglas is back from injury and has received the medical green light to return to competitive action! I know, it’s tough to contain your excitement at this wonderful news...oh wait, no-one really cares about him. Instead, it’s far more useful to focus on the real team news starting with Gerard Piqué’s suspension and ending with, well, Gerard Piqué’s suspension.


The Catalan centre-half picking up his fifth yellow card of the season last weekend against Malaga gives us our only new absence, as the rest of the squad negotiated the week without picking up any new injuries or suspensions.


Therefore, Luis Enrique virtually has a full complement at his disposal and the only question is whether he chooses to rest some star names before next Wednesday’s Copa del Rey semi-final second-leg against Villarreal CF.


In goal, Claudio Bravo will return between the sticks and he is likely to be shielded by a defense of Dani Alves, Marc Bartra, Jeremy Mathieu and Jordi Alba. There is a possibility that Adriano Correia will rotate in to fill one of the full-back positions ahead of Alves or Alba, although I suspect that Enrique will stick with his usual starters and rotate in the heart of defense instead.


In midfield, I’m tipping Javier Mascherano to be pushed forward to pivote to enable Busquets to rest ahead of the Villarreal clash, with Xavi and Ivan Rakitić posted ahead of the Argentine in the two advanced roles. Xavi’s ability to dictate the tempo and control possession will mitigate Busquets’ absence perfectly, while Rakitić provides the work-rate and that different dimension that could prove to be critical in breaking down the Granada defense.


Moving forward to the attack, the consensus is that Neymar would benefit from a rest – and it’s tough not to agree. Expect to see Pedro Rodriguez rotate back into the side with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez both looking to build on the excellent form they displayed in the midweek win over Manchester City. While he hasn’t been used there often, don’t count out Rafinha potentially making an appearance on the wing either, albeit as a substitute off the bench.


GRANADA


Only two sides have visited Granada this season and scored more than once: Real Madrid, who notched four in their fixture at Nuevo Los Carmenes in November and Sevilla, who grabbed two in the Copa Del Rey in early January. Valencia, Villarreal, Real Sociedad and most recently, Athletic Bilbao, have all left disappointed and frustrated with a single point. There is an upside though: Granada have won just once in their last 14 fixtures and twice in their last 24, while top-scorer Youssef El-Arabi is suspended after a straight red card in an ill-tempered defeat to Levante last weekend.


FORM GUIDE


Barcelona: WWWWLW


Granada: LDWLDL


LAST MEETING


FC Barcelona 6-0 Granada CF – 27th September 2014 – La Liga


The Blaugrana were at their scintillating best on this fine autumnal afternoon at the Camp Nou, as a hat-trick from Neymar and a brace from Lionel Messi sent Barça on their way to an emphatic win over their luckless visitors.


LIKELY LINE-UPS


Barcelona (4-3-3): Bravo; Alves, Bartra, Mathieu, Alba; Mascherano, Xavi, Rakitić; Messi, Suarez, Pedro


Granada (4-2-3-1): Oier; Nyom, Babin, Murrillo, Foulquier; Iturra, Rico; Bangoura, Success, Candeias; Cordoba


MATCH PREDICTION


This isn’t going to be easy; we’re going to have to fight for this and while I back us to come out on top, it’s going to be close until relatively late on. 2-0 Barça.






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الجمعة، 27 فبراير 2015

La Liga: Granada CF vs FC Barcelona: Match Preview


A preview of FC Barcelona's crucial La Liga trip to Andalusia, as they prepare to visit Nuevo Los Carmenes to take on relegation-threatened Granada CF


After the excitement of a midweek UEFA Champions League win against Manchester City, FC Barcelona must turn their attentions back to the La Liga title race, as they look to get their domestic campaign back on track with a win against Granada CF. For the second successive week, Barça will be kicking off at 16:00 CET on a Saturday – a starting time that we have traditionally struggled to adapt to and find our usual rhythm.


Indeed, the quintessential example of this came just last week; a lacklustre, lethargic Barcelona outfit boasting all its star names succumbed to a shock 0-1 defeat against Malaga CF, leaving the Blaugrana four points adrift of league leaders, Real Madrid. Certainly, there can be no repeat of that dismal performance this week if Barça wish to keep their title hopes alive.


In fact, this weekend may yet turn out to be a good one for Luis Enrique; a win against Granada would temporarily close the gap back down to one point and a somewhat out of sorts Real Madrid face a tough test in Villarreal. Who knows? Maybe the Yellow Submarine are capable of stealing a point, or even grabbing all three at the Santiago Bernabeu and this weekend could merely be the latest twist in this season’s epic title battle?


Of course, it’s all conjecture at this point: a series of "what ifs" engineered to promote a sense of optimism in the face of difficult circumstances. Real Madrid will probably win regardless and maintain their healthy lead over the Blaugrana – but either way, Barça simply have to get a result.


Irrespective of their league position, Granada will pose a tough test for Lucho’s side as well; they might be languishing near the foot of the table but their home form is strong and many a side have visited the Nuevo Los Carmenes this season only to leave frustrated. Will Barça suffer a similar fate, or can they find a way to break down one of the league’s toughest home defenses?


TEAM NEWS


BARCELONA


Great news everyone! Douglas is back from injury and has received the medical green light to return to competitive action! I know, it’s tough to contain your excitement at this wonderful news...oh wait, no-one really cares about him. Instead, it’s far more useful to focus on the real team news starting with Gerard Piqué’s suspension and ending with, well, Gerard Piqué’s suspension.


The Catalan centre-half picking up his fifth yellow card of the season last weekend against Malaga gives us our only new absence, as the rest of the squad negotiated the week without picking up any new injuries or suspensions.


Therefore, Luis Enrique virtually has a full complement at his disposal and the only question is whether he chooses to rest some star names before next Wednesday’s Copa del Rey semi-final second-leg against Villarreal CF.


In goal, Claudio Bravo will return between the sticks and he is likely to be shielded by a defense of Dani Alves, Marc Bartra, Jeremy Mathieu and Jordi Alba. There is a possibility that Adriano Correia will rotate in to fill one of the full-back positions ahead of Alves or Alba, although I suspect that Enrique will stick with his usual starters and rotate in the heart of defense instead.


In midfield, I’m tipping Javier Mascherano to be pushed forward to pivote to enable Busquets to rest ahead of the Villarreal clash, with Xavi and Ivan Rakitić posted ahead of the Argentine in the two advanced roles. Xavi’s ability to dictate the tempo and control possession will mitigate Busquets’ absence perfectly, while Rakitić provides the work-rate and that different dimension that could prove to be critical in breaking down the Granada defense.


Moving forward to the attack, the consensus is that Neymar would benefit from a rest – and it’s tough not to agree. Expect to see Pedro Rodriguez rotate back into the side with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez both looking to build on the excellent form they displayed in the midweek win over Manchester City. While he hasn’t been used there often, don’t count out Rafinha potentially making an appearance on the wing either, albeit as a substitute off the bench.


GRANADA


Only two sides have visited Granada this season and scored more than once: Real Madrid, who notched four in their fixture at Nuevo Los Carmenes in November and Sevilla, who grabbed two in the Copa Del Rey in early January. Valencia, Villarreal, Real Sociedad and most recently, Athletic Bilbao, have all left disappointed and frustrated with a single point. There is an upside though: Granada have won just once in their last 14 fixtures and twice in their last 24, while top-scorer Youssef El-Arabi is suspended after a straight red card in an ill-tempered defeat to Levante last weekend.


FORM GUIDE


Barcelona: WWWWLW


Granada: LDWLDL


LAST MEETING


FC Barcelona 6-0 Granada CF – 27th September 2014 – La Liga


The Blaugrana were at their scintillating best on this fine autumnal afternoon at the Camp Nou, as a hat-trick from Neymar and a brace from Lionel Messi sent Barça on their way to an emphatic win over their luckless visitors.


LIKELY LINE-UPS


Barcelona (4-3-3): Bravo; Alves, Bartra, Mathieu, Alba; Mascherano, Xavi, Rakitić; Messi, Suarez, Pedro


Granada (4-2-3-1): Oier; Nyom, Babin, Murrillo, Foulquier; Iturra, Rico; Bangoura, Success, Candeias; Cordoba


MATCH PREDICTION


This isn’t going to be easy; we’re going to have to fight for this and while I back us to come out on top, it’s going to be close until relatively late on. 2-0 Barça.






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FC Barcelona News: 27 February 2015; New York City FC Still Interested in Xavi, Bartomeu to Promise Paul Pogba in Elections


When and where to watch the league game between Granada and FC Barcelona | FC Barcelona

The Liga match between Granada and FC Barcelona is being shown in different countries and on different channels. But don’t worry if it’s not available in your country, because you can always listen to our live English commentary on Radio Barça. You can also follow our minute by minute coverage as well as the team and player stats on Barça's official website. Twitter users can follow @FCBarcelona for live updates as the action unfolds.


How Granada changed in the winter transfer window | FC Barcelona

The Andalusians have made a host of changes since the 6-0 defeat at the Camp Nou, signing no fewer than seven new players in the winter transfer window and also changing their manager as they hope to turn around their ailing fortunes in La Liga. With the first team also hit by injuries and suspensions, there could be as many as eight different players in the Granada side with respect to the one that suffered such a heavy loss at the Camp Nou not so long ago.


Barça have always won after a 1-2 first leg win | FC Barcelona

Barça have won the away first leg of a European tie 1-2 on four previous occasions and each time they have gone on to win the tie, seeing off Basle (Fairs Cup, 1958-60), Spartak Prague (European Cup, 1985-86), Fram Reykjavik (Cup Winners Cup, 1990-91) and Chelsea (Champions, 2005/06). In the case of the Fairs Cup and Champions League wins, the team went on to win the competition that season.


Neymar meets FC Barcelona Museum's 25 milionth visitors | FC Barcelona

Àlex Jiménez and his sons Estanis and Dídac were, a few months ago, the 25 millionth visitors to the FC Barcelona Museum since its inauguration in 1984. As a result, they have been the fortunate beneficiaries of a number of gifts in what is also the 30th anniversary year of the Museum, and the latest of these was the chance to meet their favourite player, Brazilian star Neymar Jr.


New York City FC still want Barcelona's Xavi Hernandez according to Claudio Reyna - ESPN FC

New York City FC sporting director Claudio Reyna has suggested the club will return with another offer to sign Barcelona playmaker Xavi Hernandez this summer. Xavi, 35, said in December that he had been close to leaving Barca for New York last summer before he eventually decided to stay and accept a squad-player role at the Camp Nou this season.


Bartomeu to use €75m signing promise in Barcelona elections - Sport Witness

It's that time again for Barcelona fans! Elections are on their way and various great and good will be competing to convince Barcelona fans to vote them into the Camp Nou hot-seat. Chief among the candidates is Josep Maria Bartomeu and he'll have to work very hard to impress a Barcelona support who, on the whole, don't really like him.


Gerson to reject Juve for Barca? | Football Espana

Brazilian starlet Gerson could be set to reject Juventus’ advances and hold out for a move to Barcelona instead, according to Globoesporte. The attacking midfielder has reportedly been targeted by a number of European clubs after impressing at the Under-20 South American Championship with the Selecao in January.


Sevilla & Villarreal paired in EL | Football Espana

Sevilla and Villarreal will take each other on in the Europa League last 16 after both clubs were paired together during Friday’s draw in Nyon. In what is an all-Spanish tie - the second to involve teams from the same country, along with Roma-Fiorentina - the Andalucians beat Borussia Monchengladbach 4-2 over two legs to stay in with a chance of defending their crown.


Double injury blow for Atletico - Goal.com

Atletico Madrid is sweating on the fitness of Guilherme Siqueira and Saul Niguez after Wednesday's Champions League loss at Bayer Leverkusen. Both players were forced off during the first half of the 1-0 defeat in Germany, with Siqueira hobbling from the field in the 38th minute with a muscular problem before then being promptly followed down the tunnel by Saul, who took a heavy blow to his chest.


Fourth substitution could increase the advantage of game-changers Mourinho & Ancelotti - Goal.com

The International Football Association Board, the body that governs the laws of football, meets in Northern Ireland on Friday and Saturday. Two items to be voted on are directly related: allowing a fourth substitute in knockout matches that go to extra time, and giving managers access to ‘live’ digital tracking information on their players, which would reveal if they are tiring.







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UEFA Champions League: Manchester City 1-2 FC Barcelona: Player Ratings


A detailed, player-by-player breakdown of Barcelona's Champions League win against Manchester City.












Marc-Andre ter Stegen
7.3


Minutes played: 90

Touches: 32

Passes: 17

Pass Accuracy: 88 %

Shots Faced: 4

Saves Made: 3

Clearances: 0



Bostjan says: 7.5



The young German had a busy game in net for Barcelona. He faced four shots over the 90 minutes, but he was unable to keep a clean sheet as he was unable to stop Sergio Agüero’s second half shot. Two of the saves he made were fairly straightforward, but on both of those his positioning was excellent. The fourth shot he faced, which was chronologically actually the first, was ter Stegen’s best save of the night, diving to his left to keep out Samir Nasri’s powerful shot.














Dani Alves
6.4


Minutes played: 74

Touches: 75

Passes: 64

Pass Accuracy: 88 %

Key Passes: 2

Fouls Won : 2

Tackles: 1

Aerial Duels Won : 0

Clearances : 0

Fouls: 2

Interceptions: 1



Bostjan says: 7.0



Putting aside an absolutely atrocious cross in the 21st minute and a yellow card just before halftime, Alves actually had a pretty good game. He thrived in attack as he was given a lot of space on the right side, causing Gael Clichy numerous problems, even forcing the Frenchman to pick up a second yellow card for a foul on him. Alves was unlucky not to put Barcelona up by three goal just before halftime, hitting the crossbar with a gorgeous chip shot. The Brazilian was subbed off after picking up a knock, even though he was far from happy about it.














Gerard Pique
8.2


Minutes played: 90

Touches: 82

Passes: 62

Pass Accuracy: 89 %

Tackles: 4

Interceptions: 1

Clearances: 7

Aerial Duels Won : 4



Bostjan says: 8.5



As usual, Pique stepped up in a big game. He was all over the place in the back-line, making numerous crucial tackles and clearances in the game. One especially important play came in the 66th minute when Pique intercepted a pass from the right side while being the only man back to defend against three Manchester City attackers. Pique also made a couple sliding tackles that would’ve made resident tackling expert, Mascherano, very proud. Despite all those positives his clearances often looked rushed, panicked even, even though he on many occasions had time to check for options.














Javier Mascherano
7.1


Minutes played: 90

Touches: 68

Passes: 56

Pass Accuracy: 93 %

Tackles: 4

Interceptions: 2

Clearances: 1

Aerial Duels Won: 1

Fouls: 2



Bostjan says: 7.0



Mascherano was tasked with covering the more dangerous of the two City forwards, Agüero. Compared to some other defenders Mascherano didn’t do terribly badly, but on many occasions he allowed Kun too much space, and he burned him on more than one occasion. It wasn’t all bad though as Mascherano also disposed his compatriot on several occasions. Mascherano was also credited with a crucial block on Nasri just minutes into the second half, probably saving a goal. He to defensive midfield for the final 20 minutes of the game where he looked more comfortable.













Jordi Alba
7.6


Minutes played: 90

Touches: 98

Passes: 78

Pass Accuracy: 83 %

Shots/Shots on Target: 0/0

Tackles: 4

Interceptions: 0

Clearances: 4

Key Passes : 2

Aerial Duels Won : 1



Bostjan says: 7.5



Like his teammate on the other side of the defensive line, Alba too had a strong game in attack. He was constantly available on the overlap and his distribution in the danger area was excellent. He showed patience on the ball at the half hour mark when he beautifully found Suarez for the Uruguayan’s second goal of the night. And Alba should’ve picked up another assist in the second half, but Messi was unable to finish off the chance. Defensively Alba also looked very comfortable.














Sergio Busquets
7.0


Minutes played: 90

Touches: 22

Passes: 73

Pass Accuracy: 95 %

Tackles: 2

Interceptions: 4

Shots/Shots on Target: 0/0

Clearances: 0

Aerial Duels Won: 1

Turnovers: 2

Key passes: 0



Sam says: 8.0



With so much space in the midfield, Busquets was able to pick up the ball from the defence and drive forward with it. He restarted almost all of Barça’s attacks and was able to pick off passes when he pleases. Defensively and with a striker as clinical as Sergio Agüero on the other team, Busquets had to limit City’s chances and he did this superbly with two tackles and four interceptions.














Ivan Rakitić
7.6


Minutes played: 70

Touches: 60

Passes: 47

Pass Accuracy: 83 %

Shots/Shots on Target: 3/0

Turnovers: 0

Key Passes: 0

Successful Dribbles : 4

Tackles: 1



Sam says: 7.5



A good performance from the Croatian in his first Champions League knockout game for the Catalans. His runs allowed space for the likes of Suárez and Messi to run into and it was this kind of run that created an opening for Barça’s second goal. He was strong defensively too, restricting David Silva to a limited time on the ball.














Andres Iniesta
7.6


Minutes played: 90

Touches: 112

Passes: 98

Pass Accuracy: 94 %

Shots/Shots on Target: 1 /0

Fouls Won: 0

Interceptions: 1

Tackles: 2

Key Passes: 0

Successful Dribbles : 6



Sam says: 8.5



Bizarrely, City’s tactics allowed Barcelona so much space in the first and this is exactly what you don’t give to Andrés Iniesta if you have any hope of winning. Iniesta was able to dictate play from midfield before releasing the ball to any of the three willing runners ahead of him. City grew into the game but Iniesta was able to weave his way past the likes of Fernando and continued to take control for Barça. Suárez took most of the headlines but Iniesta was a key cog in the Barça machine.














Luis Suarez
8.9


Minutes played: 90

Touches: 47

Passes: 33

Pass Accuracy: 73 %

Shots/Shots on Target: 5/3

Turnovers: 2

Successful Dribbles: 0

Key Passes: 0

Fouls Won: 3

Tackles : 2



Ahmed says: 9.0



Scored an incredible, incisive and instinctive brace in the first-half and could have scored at least one or two more. Suarez gave the City defence endless nightmares in the first half with his movement, off-the-ball running, grit and determination. Outstanding. Great link-up play with his fellow attackers. He covered a lot of distance and was quiet in the second half, but will be more than pleased with his return to England.














Lionel Messi
8.6


Minutes played: 90

Touches: 107

Passes: 76

Pass Accuracy: 91 %

Shots/Shots on Target: 4 /2

Fouls Won: 2

Successful Dribbles: 10

Key Passes: 3

Turnovers: 4

Tackles: 3



Ahmed says: 9.0



An absolutely sensational performance by Messi. The penalty miss and subsequent header is what most will remember but take nothing away from what preceded it. Manchester City couldn’t get near him. He was unplayable and unstoppable. Spellbinding at times. His movement, link-up play and vision was on another level. Played a big part in both goals and created a plethora of other chances, including the penalty. He nearly wrapped up the win with a second half goal but for a narrow offside decision. He was everywhere; attacking and defending. This is evident just by looking at the stats; indeed, he completed 10 dribbles, 3 key passes, 3 tackles. Magnificent. Blamed in some quarters for losing the ball in the build up to Sergio Aguero’s goal. Yes, he lost the ball but it really should have been better dealt with by the defence. Indeed, a simple ball bypassed the midfield and defence far too easily.















Neymar
7.1


Minutes played: 79

Touches: 49

Passes: 36

Pass Accuracy: 89 %

Shots/Shots on Target: 1/1

Fouls Won: 3

Key Passes: 2

Successful Dribbles: 1

Turnovers: 3



Ahmed says: 7.5



Not really his night but still managed to make Pablo Zabaleta (arguably the best right-back in the EPL, no less) look very average at times with his skills, trickery and passing - The full-back wasn’t sure whether to stick to him or give him space, especially in the first half. Neymar tracked back well and his pace and vision sometimes caught City’s back four out, unfortunately from a Barcelona perspective, not often enough. He wasn’t able to exert his usual influence. Neymar had a shot cleared off the line yet he faded in the second half and was eventually replaced by Pedro in the 80th minute.














Jeremy Mathieu
6.2


Minutes played: 20

Touches: 16

Passes: 16

Pass Accuracy: 100 %

Tackles : 0



Arron says: 7.0



Having seen his side's lead cut in half by Sergio Aguero's consolation, Luis Enrique identified that it was City who were on the ascendancy and that changes were required to stop the run, both to address the tactical concerns that the second-half was producing and perhaps more simplistically, to dampen City's momentum. Replacing Ivan Rakitic with Jeremy Mathieu made sense from a tactical standpoint, but it was also a gamble -- introducing a player from the bench into the heart of defense could have backfired spectacularly, yet to his credit, Mathieu put in an accomplished shift to help maintain the lead.














Adriano Correia
6.0


Minutes played: 16

Touches: 23

Passes: 20

Pass Accuracy: 85 %

Shots/Shots on Target : 1/0



Arron says: 6.5



Whether Alves was injured or simply replaced, Adriano's substitution seemed to come as a shock to his compatriot -- and indeed to me from my place in the stands. Alas, Adriano looked solid and while he picked up a yellow card, his tactical foul did help stop what could have been a potential goalscoring opportunity for the hosts.














Pedro
6.5


Minutes played: 11

Touches: 13

Passes: 12

Pass Accuracy: 92 %

Key Passes : 1



Arron says: 7.5



While Neymar struggled to gain a foothold in the match, a fresh set of legs in the shape of Pedro Rodriguez wreaked havoc on the tiring Manchester City backline, particularly after the dismissal of Gael Clichy. His energy helped turn the tide of the match back in Barca's favour after a spirited City fightback, while his combination with Messi to help win the penalty could have proved critical.














The Team8.0


Passes: 712

Pass Accuracy: 89 %

Shots/Shots on Target: 15 /6

Tackles: 25

Aerial Battles Won: 40 %

Fouls Won/Committed: 13/13



Arron says: 8.0



The first-half was a clear 10/10; the second was more of a medicore 6/10 which averages out at a respectable 8/10 in my book. Still, it's hard not to feel a little aggrieved about the eventual margin of victory. Even leaving Messi's penalty and subsequent miss aside, Barcelona had plenty of chances to really end this tie on Tuesday and now we have to pray that we won't come to regret our profligacy after our return leg at the Camp Nou.














Luis Enrique
7.1



Arron says: 8.5



Sticking with Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic worked an absolute treat and his substitutions were well-timed, even if one may argue that they initially invited more pressure on our struggling backline.














MOTM - Luis Suarez
51%



Bostjan says: Suarez



Clearly, Messi was very important for Barcelona to record this win, but the fact that he missed the penalty and the subsequent header probably cost him another Man of the Match award. He finished in second place with 31% of the votes, but was clearly outvoted by his Uruguayan teammate. Pique rounded out the top three with 8%.









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الخميس، 26 فبراير 2015

FC Barcelona News: 26 February 2015; Sergio Busquets Extends Contract till 2019, Preparations Begin for Granada Match


Sergio Busquets extends contract till 2019 | FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona have reached agreement with Sergio Busquets to extend his contract with the Club until June 30th 2019, with an option for a further year after that. The contract will be signed on Friday lunchtime in the Club offices at the Camp Nou


Suárez's first brace for FC Barcelona | FC Barcelona

Luis Suárez scored two in a game for the first time since he joined the Club. The Uruguayan has now bagged 4 goals in the Champions League this season, second only to Messi who has scored eight. Suarez also scored against Apoel (0-4) and Paris Saint Germain (3-1).


Messi's great performance in Manchester in detail | FC Barcelona

Lionel Messi put in a complete performance against Manchester City. Aside from the penalty, an excellent save by Joe Hart, the Argentine showed that even though he is the all time top scorer in the Champions League and is second top scorer this season with eight goals, he not only shines in this area of the game. He played an important role in both Luis Suárez’s goals and was a constant threat to the home side’s defence.


Preparations for Granada game start | FC Barcelona

All available players were at the session, with Douglas taking part despite still not having the medical all clear and B team youngster Munir also present, as preparations began for Saturday’s league game away to Granada.


Granada hard to beat at home | FC Barcelona

With five draws and a win, none of the last six visitors have managed more than a goal, with draws against Almeria (0-0), Valencia (1-1), Getafe (1-1), Real Sociedad (1-1) and Athletic Club (0-0), as well as the win against Elche (1-0). Those results have helped Granada become the team with most draws in the competition - ten so far.


Barcelona and Lionel Messi need mental toughness for La Liga, UCL success - ESPN FC

Barcelona's valuable 2-1 away against Manchester City was proof that they have what it takes to go all the way in this season's Champions League if fully focused on the task in hand. Reassuringly, the Blaugranas looked like a completely different team from the one that struggled to break Malaga's back-line and walked away with a deserved 1-0 home defeat in their last La Liga game.


Martinez a pawn in Barca elections? | Football Espana

Bayern Munich’s Javi Martinez could be pivotal in the forthcoming Barcelona elections as a promise from the Presidential candidates. Mundo Deportivo report that unnamed candidates to oppose Josep Maria Bartomeu will claim they will sign Martinez for Barca if they’re election bid is successful.


FC Barcelona sponsorship deal with Castle wins award in Africa | FC Barcelona

The sponsorship deal between FC Barcelona and SABMiller Group’s leading African beer brand Castle has been handed the prestigious Best African Sponsorship Award by Discovery Sports Industry Award. In making their decision, which was announced in Johannesburg on February 12, the judges took into account the importance of the fact that the agreement aimed to contribute to the development of sport in Africa.


Top 5 academy goals of the week | FC Barcelona

Another week and another top selection of goals scored by Barça youth teams on February 21 and 22 In this video, you can enjoy delights from Yerai (U12 D), Iker Bravo (U10 A), Eric Garcia (U14 A), Bilal Achiba (U10 A) and Sergio Gómez (U16 B). From dead ball situations to dramatic long range strikes and team moves in the purest of Barça styles, there’s a little bit of everything.


Leverkusen edge past Atletico in Champions League last-16 first leg | Sky Sports Football

The Bundesliga side took a 57th-minute lead through midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu’s fiercely struck effort. And despite Atletico substitute Fernando Torres having a second-half equaliser controversially ruled out, the visitors’ hopes of returning home to Madrid with a crucial away goal ended when midfielder Tiago Mendes was sent off 14 minutes from the end.


Sanchez Flores resigns as Getafe Coach | Football Espana

Quique Sanchez Flores has left his post as Getafe Coach after less than two months in the post. Super Deporte claims the departure is related to the decision to sell Sammir to Chinese side Jiangsu Sainty and the failure to add to the squad in January. Sanchez Flores replaced Cosmin Contra, who was hired by Chinese outfit Guangzhou in a joint deal with midfielder Michel, which earned Getafe in the region of €5m.


Sammir confirms Getafe exit | Football Espana

Sammir has confirmed he is to leave Getafe for a move to China, following former Coach Cosmin Contra and midfielder Michel. It had been mooted that the Croatia international would leave El Geta for Jiangsu Sainty and AS say the deal will go ahead for a €5m fee.


Spanish Football Federation hand out four-game bans to Granada 's Ivan Ramis and Levante's Youseff El-Arabi | Football News | Sky Sports

The players were sent off in the 79th minute of Levante's 2-1 home victory, and the Spanish Football Federation's competition committee has punished them for "violent conduct in an off-the-ball incident". El-Arabi will sit out Saturday's home match against Barcelona - a game you can see in full this Saturday on Sky Sports 5 - as well as the Primera Division encounters against Malaga, Rayo Vallecano and Eibar. Ramis, meanwhile, will miss games against Rayo, Eibar and Real Madrid.







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