FC Barcelona and Granada will meet this Saturday at the Nuevo Los Cármenes Stadium for the 20th day of LaLiga Santander. The Blaugrana cast started on the right foot in 2022, since they added two victories and in both duels Xavi Hernández had to juggle to send an eleven to the field as he presented more than 11 casualties.
The culé club announced last Monday that nine players tested positive for COVID-19 but anyway they won a 2-1 victory in the Copa del Rey against Linares and advanced to the eighth place. Barça rose to fifth place after beating Mallorca by the least, but with 31 points they are just one unit away from reaching the Champions League spots.
The chaotic week that the Barça squad experienced will not be repeated because several players have recovered and the Spanish coach will have options. Eight players have recovered and will be able to face Granada, such as Gavi, Dest, Abde, Jutglà, Umtiti and Lenglet, Baldé, Memphis Depay and Luuk de Jong. Several of them would be headlines.
Pedri and Ferran Torres underwent another coronavirus test and again tested positive, so they will be absent against the Nasrids. Depay was a starter in the first duels with Xavi in command of the Catalan team, but he was injured. His compatriot De Jong took advantage of that chance and apparently has won the position, so he will be the starting center forward.
At Granada, Germán Soro and Santiago Arias were ruled out and will not face Barcelona. For his part, Luis Abram, will continue on the substitute bench; Duarte and Torrente will continue to be the central team for the rojiblancos. The Peruvian has not played for three matches. The last time he did it was in the Copa del Rey, in the fortnight of December.
Source-larepublica.pe