Barcelona vs Granada CF prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2024-02-10 20:00.
With Real Madrid hosting Girona this weekend, Barcelona have a great chance to gain some ground on at least one of La Liga’s top two with a win over second-from-bottom Granada. That’s not something they’ve managed in their last four top-flight H2Hs (D3, L1), but this is perhaps the best time to break that streak with Atlético Madrid snapping at their heels. Barça’s chances of ending their H2H woes appear plentiful too, as they come into this match having won five of their last six league games (L1).
Their sole loss in that sequence came at their temporary home of Estadi OlĂmpic LluĂs Companys, which is the only La Liga stadium yet to witness a draw this season (W9, L3). Xavi’s men haven’t been consistent here recently though, alternating league results (W2, L2) and conceding at least four goals in both of those defeats.
Granada drew the reverse fixture 2-2 thanks to a Bryan Zaragoza brace, but with the attacker having since moved to Bayern Munich on loan in January, the onus is on the rest of the squad to step up to the plate. The need for improvement is obvious as Los NazarĂes have struggled since that draw, losing ten of their 14 subsequent La Liga matches (W1, D3) to put the promoted club in real danger of an immediate return to the second tier.
The visitors could be forgiven for lending more focus to next weekend’s relegation six-pointer against AlmerĂa than this trip. However, manager Alexander Medina still needs to build some confidence and find a way to overcome their troubles on the road, his team have avoided defeat in just two (W1, D1) of their last 12 competitive away encounters.
Key battle: Robert Lewandowski scored in Barcelona’s last game, making it the ninth time in his last ten scoring league appearances that both sides on the day netted. His task could be to find a way past Granada goalkeeper Augusto Batalla, who may push the referee’s patience, having been booked in three of his last four La Liga outings.
Hot stat: Seven of Barcelona’s last 11 league matches have witnessed exactly one first-half goal.