Granada – Barcelona
Granada host Barcelona at the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes in a game from the 1/4-finals of the Copa del Rey. One of these two teams will move much closer to the final. Let’s preview it.
Granada managed to reach the 1/4-finals of the Copa after an exciting performance in the previous round. Diego Martinez’ team paid a visit to Segunda B team Navalcarnero and impressed everyone with a stunning 6-0 win. German Sanchez, Alberto Soro, Fede Vico and Roberto Soldado scored in the first half and decided everything. Foulquier and Jorge Molina added two more after the halftime break.
In La Liga Granada are currently 7th in the standings with 29 points won. They remain one of the decent teams in the league for a second consecutive season. They deserve compliments for this.
Barcelona were behind against Rayo Vallecano in the 1/8-finals, but managed to turn the game around for a 2-1 win away from home. Lionel Messi equalised at the Vallecas while Frenkie De Jong scored the winner after a decisive assist from Jordi Alba.
For Barcelona this game comes just few days after the club’s 5th consecutive win in La Liga. On Sunday the Catalans faced Athletic Bilbao at Camp Nou and celebrated a difficult, but important 2-1 win. Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann scored for Ronald Koeman’s team.
Gerard Pique, Sergino Dest, Coutinho and Ansu Fati are sidelined with injuries for Barca, but Sergi Roberto is back for the Catalans. He even took a part in the win against Athletic during the weekend.
That’s our preview for the Copa del Rey clash between Granada and Barcelona on Wednesday. The Catalans are always favourites in matches like this one, but you should not underrestimate Granada – they are one of the decent teams in La Liga in the last two seasons.