FC BARCELONA

The record arbitration contains the words of Brazilian full back Dani Alves to the referee Teixeira Vitienes after his expulsion in the 87th minute.

"The player Daniel Alves Da Silva, after being sent off at minute 87, and before leaving the field, turned to me repeatedly and loudly with the following terms:" Yours is awesome! ". So reads the minutes of collegiate Teixeira Vitienes after Barça-Granada on Tuesday and which had its share of leadership after failing to point out three possible penalties for Barça and show a red and eleven yellow cards.

Alves, who saw two yellow cards in the minutes 60 and 87, will miss the next day between Mallorca and Barcelona. (via SPORT)

Granada coach, Abel Resino, praised the undeniable superiority of Leo Messi, from last night's top scorer in the history of Barça.

"To argue now Messi is absurd. It's the best player in the world by far. When a match is stuck, take out the crystal ball and no wonder it has already made ​​history," said the coach at a press conference after the match the Camp Nou.

Resino lamented that with the tie to two on the scoreboard, "really was the key moment of the match and we had a clear chance." "But I'm proud of my players, who have given their all. Meter three goals Barça is not easy," he added.

"The team has worked very well, with the difficulty is to play with the best in the world, which is where there are spaces. Having the Barça nervous for a while the game is a tremendous merit. I noticed Barça nervous because the party he could escape, "he assured the coach.

Also referred to two penalties mentioned in favor of Granada, to which were added some controversial plays that Barcelona has claimed.

"If pitarlo penalty should be. A small team causing two penalties in the Camp Nou and is meritorious in itself. On the controversial arbitration be as steep with the arbitration issue, Barça and Real Madrid are the only ones interested . the end wins la Liga he deserves it, not by arbitration a controversy "has ruled Resino. (via SPORT)

The Barça manager praised Leo Messi on the day the Argentine broke César’s record. Guardiola is clear that it will be difficult for another player to break Messi’s record.

The manager also played down the fact that the end result was 5-3, he also said that “we paid tribute to the Barça of the Five Cups,” César’s team.



“We are witnessing the best [player] in every sense. He does everything, and he does it every three days. I’m sorry for those that want to sit on his throne, but this lad is the best. Hopefully we can enjoy his football for many more years.” Josep Guardiola is a happy man and he has the humble honour of training the world’s best player, Leo Messi, who scored a hat-trick against Granada to become the Club’s all-time high top goalscorer in official matches. His 234 goals have delighted the world of football, and Guardiola is in lockstep with awed football fans and pundits alike. “Leo has rightfully entered into history,” he said. He also has no qualms about comparing the Argentine to Michael Jordan: “there are few players that dominate in this fashion, and he does it.” The manager said that at Messi’s goalscoring rate, it will be difficult for any other player to break the Argentine’s record.

“On the day that Leo Messi broke César’s record we played a game like one would have been played in that era, a 5 to 3 as a tribute to the Barça of the Five Cups.” That’s how Guardiola analysed tonight’s match against Granada. The manager also played down the fact that the Andalusian side drew level on 61 minutes. “[The game] had all the ingredients of a football match. I want to congratulate the team for overcoming all of today’s adversities.”

Xavi scored once again, which takes his tally past his personal best record for goals scored in a season (14). Guardiola recognised that “this year the midfielders are scoring quite a few goals; we’re trying to get them to have more presence in the area.” The manager also took the chance to congratulate Isaac Cunenca and Cristian Tello, seeing that “both of the wingers won us the match.”

Against Mallorca, Guardiola will not be able to count on Alves, who was sent off, and Adriano, injured. “It’s a shame, but we’ll find two more players. We’ll bring up players from the reserve side, I suppose it’ll be Montoya. We’ll go to Mallorca to compete like we did today.” (via FCBarcelona.com)

FC Barcelona’s Medical Services have diagnosed the Brazilian defender with a semimembranosus muscle elongation in his right leg.

The worst piece of news from this Tuesday’s match against Granada is that Adriano Correia will be on the sidelines for 10 days. FC Barcelona’s Medical Services have diagnosed the Brazilian defender with a semimembranosus muscle elongation in his right leg.

Adriano has played 28 matches this season and scored 3 goals, one of them in the Liga and two in the Club World Cup. (via FCBarcelona.com)

The Barça defender was pleased with the team’s game against Granada despite the fact that it’s been a difficult task to cut into Madrid’s lead, he also praised Leo Messi.

Piqué: “playing for Barça means that you are always looked at though a magnifying glass”.



After the 5-3 win over Granda, Gerard Piqué analysed, on Barça TV’s El Marcador, the team’s attitude in the Liga: “the team is very motivated and we’re on a good trajectory, with great football. At times we play at a high level and that reinforces us in the Liga and in other competitions.”

However, the Barça defender considers the challenge of gaining ground on Real Madrid at the top of the table a difficult task: “it was hard to pull two points back, the Liga [title] is difficult to win and we don’t depend on ourselves.” On the two penalties called against Barça tonight, Piqué said that “in those plays, and even more so with how sensitive the referee issue is, you don’t call them.”

The center of attention

The Azulgrana talked about the controversy that’s been circling around him in the past couple of weeks: “at first it did have an effect on me, but in the end there comes a point where you have to disconnect and focus on your training.” Piqué considers that footballers that play for the Club is synonymous with always being the focus of attention, “playing for Barça means that you are always looked at though a magnifying glass. My job is to go out onto the pitch and give it everything I’ve got. You must improve each year to continue at this Club.”

On his manager's statements last week when he said that Piqué would only leave the Club when the defender chose to, Piqué said that “it’s an honour that Pep would say that, usually it’s the Club that opens the exit door for a player.” The Azulgrana went on to say that “I don’t have a date set for leaving the Club.”

Situation that needs to imporve

“On an individual level I’ve enjoyed playing for the team, but I have to improve a lot of aspects of my game, like my aerial play. I have to be strong,” explained Piqué. He also went on to talk about the way Barça defends: “[the team marks] in zone, we’ll try to dominate and make fewer mistakes. We have to cover each other's backs.”

Leo Messi, in focus

Breaking César’s record and netting a hat trick have undoubtedly made Leo Messi the star of the game. Like many of his teammates, Piqué had words of praise for the Argentine: “it’s a pleasure to be in the same generation as him, I believe he’s the best player in the history of the sport. I’ve been lucky enough to be on the same team as him, I consider myself privileged.” He went on to add that “it doesn’t matter where he plays, if it’s cold or hot, he always proves that he’s the best.”

Here are statements made by Barça’s players after the match against Granada:

Víctor Valdés: “Messi will mark an era. He’ll be the best ever.”

Cristian Tello: “In person, Leo is just like he is on the pitch; a simple lad and very friendly to his teammates.

“The truth is that the match went a bit against us, but we were able to control it. However, we have to wait and see what Real Madrid does.”

Isaac Cuenca: “We managed to score more goals to win the game. I feel great. The Liga title is difficult to win but we have to see if we can keep on winning out matches in order to keep our possibilities open.

“Leo Messi is amazing, he’s the best in the world and he proves it on a daily basis. For me, he’s the best ever.

“It will take years to see someone else do something similar to what Messi does. We have to enjoy him and his plays.” (via FCBarcelona.com)

BEST: Messi, the devourer of records. He has won everything with Barça, a collective and individual, and from now is also the top scorer in the history of Barça. At 25, a whopping sum of 234 and as many as culé. His hat-trick against Granada him past the legendary brand that since the 50 bore César. It's been half a century, and feels that it will be another more-or several more-no one can overcome it. Leo walked into the legend and decided on a very difficult match. The three points remained in the Camp Nou and now the pressure is on Madrid, who on Wednesday visit to Villarreal.

WORST: Crashing after the break. Barça was again the victim of a problem that is being repeated too often. At 2-0 in favor, the team let off the throttle. And their relaxation after the break cost him the tie. The defense was not to remove it 2-1 in Mainz, and Alves was slow in marking Dani Benitez before committing penalties. Luckily Messi-Tello and water returned to normal. (via SPORT)

The players wore shirts of FC Barcelona footballer support 's Bolton in the moments before the opening whistle.

Barça want to commit on Tuesday with the support that the entire universe of football has professed in the last days of the Bolton English midfielder Fabrice Muamba, who on Saturday suffered a collapse in the home opener against Tottenham at White Hart Lane and whose situation despite improvements, remains grave.

The players in the first team off to the pitch in the moments before the opening whistle wearing T-shirts with the slogan 'Fabrice, we are behind you', demonstrating their support for the Congolese midfielder, naturalized English, only 23 years.

Meanwhile, Granada players also had a nice gesture to wear shirts in support of the French side of Barça Eric Abidal with the slogan "Mucha fuerza Abidal." (via SPORT)

Granada President congratulates his players for the match, but claimed a penalty for offside Valdés and Messi in Barça third goal. "I wonder what would have happened."

"I can not say that we had taken a point if the referee had whistled the penalty de Valdés or Messi offside, but after drawing a match that is 2-0 I wonder what would have happened." The chairman of Granada, Enrique Pina said after the match that the referee had hurt his team on specific plays, although Vitienes II Teixeira said two penalties in the area of ​​Barcelona. "There are plays discussed that may influence the outcome. Víctor Valdés hits my player (Borja Gómez) and stops the play is over. And Barça's third goal, Messi seems offside. Is discussed," said Pina that he was confident that the penalties of Alves' other left. "

In addition, the chairman of Granada wanted to congratulate his players for the match. "Two years have passed without anyone check three goals here. It is a comfort, because it is a party that you assume that you can lose and it is very difficult puntúes, but we have a good picture with all the casualties we had. I will congratulate to the players, "said Pina. (via AS)

Athletic vice-president Jose Maria Bartomeu congratulated Leo Messi for breaking César’s record. The director recognised that “it’s unlikely that another player like Leo will play [this sport] and break this record.” He said “we have a fantastic player for many years to come. We’re privileged.” The director is pleased to see Pep Guardiola’s team succeed year after year. On the manager’s possible contract extension, Bartomeu said that “he’s an important person, he turned this team around, the Club and Barça’s athletic vision. We want him to stay. He represents much more than a manager and we hope that he stays.” He also talked about Abidal, “we hope everything works out for him. We’re optimistic.” (via FCBarcelona.com)

With his three goals against Granada, Leo Messi surpasses César’s record and became the all-time top goalscorer in the history of FC Barcelona in official matches with 234 goals.

On March 20th 2012, Leo Messi became FC Barcelona’s all-time top goalscorer in official matches after breaking César Rodríguez’s record of 232 goals. The game against Granada, on week 29 of La Liga, will be remembered for this extraordinary feat: a hat-trick by the three-time Ballon d’Or winner that took his all-time tally to 234 goals, two more than the illustrious ‘Pelucas.’ At 24-years-old, Messi is a living legend.

The Masia graduate, who made his debut for the first team in October 2004, has scored 153 goals in the Liga, 49 in the Champions League, 19 in the King’s Cup, 8 in the Spanish Super Cup, 1 in the European Super Cup and 4 in the Club World Cup. His preferred victims are Atlético Madrid (18), Sevilla (14), Real Madrid (13), and Racing Santander (12). Curiously enough, Granada was the only team in the Spanish top flight that Messi hadn’t scored on.

Against Granada, Messi pulverized his personal best goalscoring record. So far he has 54 goals, one more than he scored in the entirety of last season. The Argentine has scored eight hat-tricks (counting his four goals against Valencia and five against Levekusen). In the Liga, with 10 matches remaining, he’s the leading scorer with 34 goals. He’s the best, no discussion. And he plays for Barça. (via FCBarcelona.cat)

The Argentine contradicts Guardiola and Barça gets in contention for la Liga. An assist and got a hat-trick of over César. The Granada reached tie. Two penalties from Alves.

Guardiola pessimistic words have been censored in any other club and had depressed players of different stuff. But Barça of this new era, carved at will, accept diversity of views democratically, especially who has won trophies based and allows for the reply. Proof of this is that these players are better challenge to reach the unreachable. As much as the teacher says. Although he advises against logic. And although they sometimes suffer more than necessary or not penalties should piten. A team that has already made ​​history, no matter what happens, yet to reach by appealing to the heroic title to become immortal. Against Granada wrote the first chapter. He knows that sometimes the game is forgotten and the Iniesta goal to Chelsea or leagues of Tenerife always remember.

That is the challenge. Messi and company have been proposed, for once, not to agree with your guide and will fight this league until the mathematics say enough or until the Madrid unlikely to faint. Against Granada would prove immediately. Hence, rolled out and did not need to show more accurate night to put away five points in the table. There is still a gap. There is still a league. Shook with the header from Mainz in the nth cluelessness Piqué and, above all, to draw a penalty committed by Siqueira Alves on the edge of the area. The first of what he said. But reacted with caste. To get used to what lies ahead.

The game was developed in his start as everyone anticipated. Barça sent if desired and struggled out only by a lack of concentration Alves. It was just a mirage. The first team play Barça's first goal came. Cuenca, relegated to the stands in Sevilla, left behind his two effortlessly to bring a measured center to the area. There, at the far post, waiting Messi licking. His posture and hungry look tricked us as an act of fellowship exquisite headed the penalty spot to Xavi, volley, grind them.

This was only the letter of Leo. Minutes later, Argentina was able to score a second. He collected a pass in front and brushed a shoe that almost hurts to Julius César. Granada goalkeeper bit the 'Pulga' with its stretched. And we all know: with Messi angry, insurance goals ahead. The 2-0 came six minutes later. Basin was again the source. This time up cycling. Its center, again poisoned, was topped by Messi with the precision of a surgeon. Its stuck to the bottom remato entered and served to equate myth with another 232 goals FC Barcelona, the ex ​​Granada César.

The match seemed to be terminated. No one had the complacency of Barcelona, ​​which became entangled in touch without depth, nor the faith of a Granada playing better than many think. The set of Abel, exemplary in their struggle and didactic in its deployment, entered the strips with a side missing, classy dumped by Martins and topped with a genius for Mainz. Piqué looked again. Few believed in miracles. Except Benitez. The end picked up a ball in the area shortly after crossed the lane and to achieve the opposite. Alves challenging all the way. The Brazilian, tired of chasing him, not stopped or slowed saw his prey. Him down and forced a penalty which did not miss Siqueira. The Madrid away.

He played to start over and roll up. Guardiola moved the bench. With Iniesta and Tello to remove anything could get worse. Barça awoke to remember that a trip was final and overpowered the Granada to mobility that should never have left. Messi made ​​it three with a master to control with a touch pass to Alves hole and beat the goalkeeper with another above Granada. A work of art no longer surprised by indigestion.

Tello increased the distance thanks to its electric arrivals from behind. What a great player with more future than past. His shot after a rebound, he avoided any mishap. The meeting was closed. Or so we thought. Until Messi took another brilliant service Alves dribble into space to be Julius César and other ball home. In the end, Alves returned to commit a penalty before it could be said Valdés. Dani saw the red and Siqueira bitter did the double of his career. He and everyone knew at that time had already warned that Messi Guardiola and Madrid this league still has some scares. (via AS)


[Match Stats]
Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Alves, Piqué, Puyol, Adriano (Mascherano, m.46); Keita, Xavi, Thiago (Iniesta, m.72); Cuenca, Alexis (Tello, m.72) and Messi.

Granada: Julio César; Cortés, Mainz, Borja Gómez, Siqueira; Jara (Uche, m.46), Moisés Hurtado (Abel Gómez, m.70), Mikel Rico, Dani Benítez; Martins; and Ighalo (Geijo, m.78).

Goal: 1-0, m.4: Xavi. 2-0, m.17: Messi. 2-1, m.55: Mainz. 2-2, m.62: Siqueira, a penalty. 3-2, m.67: Messi. 4-2, m.82: Tello. 5-2, m.86: Messi. 5-3, m. 89: Siqueira, a penalty.

Referee: José Antonio Teixeira Vitienes (Committee Cantabria). He showed yellow card to Ighalo (M8), Dani Benítez (m.34), Keita (m.48), Cortes (m.59), Alves (m.61), Moises Hurtado (m.63), Borja (m.65), Mascherano (m.88), Geijo (m.90 +1) and Abel Gómez (m.90 +3). He drove for two bookings Dani Alves in the 88th minute.


Subs: 62,461 spectators attended the match in game for the twenty-ninth day of First Division. They observed a minute of silence in memory of Estanislao Basora, a component of the Barcelona front of the five cups. Before the meeting, staff Barça roller hockey, winning the Copa del Rey and football pitch, brand new winner of the Cup of Spain, the securities offered to the spectators at the Camp Nou.

FC Barcelona has exercised this Tuesday at noon with the 17 with the first team and Muniesa and Tello, Barça B.



Now, everything is ready. The first team of FC Barcelona has been carried out on Tuesday from 12 noon, the last training before receiving the Granada tonight (21 hours). The session was held at the Camp Nou and has attended the 17 with the first team (all but Abidal injured, Villa, Afellay and Fontàs) and Muniesa and Tello, Barça B.

After the training, the players of FC Barcelona have eaten together and gone home to rest. Are again summoned to the Camp Nou at 19.30, to play Barça-Granada which starts 90 minutes later. (via FCBarcelona.cat)

Barça look for a win to put pressure on Madrid in a league resurrected.
Messi, a goal record of César, and first day home after the return of Abidal.

Barça have now (21:00 h) the opportunity to get five points behind Real Madrid and make out the white set against Villarreal tomorrow with all the pressure of the world. The Camp Nou has to play a role in a league that seems to have risen after the draw of Malaga at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Granada is the first opponent who visits the Camp Nou since the advantage of Mourinho has dropped from double digits after five days to ten points and Barça can not fail. The meeting tonight offers enough incentive to leave the fans not only to the team.

Guardiola now has all staff, with the exception of Villa, Abidal, Fontàs and Afellay, and also in the case of Dutch is imminent that you are discharged. Weeks without a party on a Tuesday or Wednesday have helped the team to charge batteries after the great palizón January and February and Barça is now in the best possible condition. The Barcelona coach also can afford the luxury of re-distribute minutes in the game today, after last Saturday's effort.

For example, they may return to the starting captain, Carles Puyol, or Thiago and Alexis, both injured since the last time FIFA until Saturday's game in the Pizjuán, although the Chilean left in the second half. The most valuable for the coach is that you can make a once competitive.

Despite what he says Guardiola in press conferences, it comes as many points as possible to the end and put pressure on Madrid, which came with ten points when there were still 16 games left and that you can make it very long. In La Liga 93-94, Barça won 13 games and drawn two since losing 6-3 in Zaragoza in Week 23. The 'Pep Team' can overcome it: from the 3-2 to the end of Pamplona have gone 16 games and the goal is to win them all. For now, go 5.

Messi also started another countdown, the record producer of César Rodríguez. It is just a goal, announced last night the club after a recount that is on 232 points, instead of the 235, and now published in detail La Vanguardia. It is likely to equal or exceed this evening against a team where he played Caesar himself and was in the Camp Nou on the debut of Cruyff. It is also the day the Camp Nou will honor Basra and the opener at home since it became known relapse of Abidal. For all a big match. (via MD)

The defense line will depend on whether Adriano remains at eleven or Puyol occupies the left back.

Barça will return tonight to la Liga at the Nou Camp with new courage after Real Madrid slip combined with his big win at the Sánchez Pizjuán, and more effective once again Alexis Sánchez to be able to start against Granada in the starting lineup. The Chilean forward, who already played the last ten minutes of the match against Sevilla, returns to the Nou Camp after he was injured in the clash against Sporting, precisely at the Estadi, and seems destined to form the triplet attacker with Pedro and Messi .

Although the season is not proving at all easy because of the many parties and many physical problems that affect the workforce, Josep Guardiola is recovering gradually effective in the face of decisive phase of the season. One is Alexis, another Thiago Alcántara, which gives you more choices in the wide area.

Hence, against Granada, Barça may have more of a novelty in all lines. The question is whether defense Pep will opt for three or four line maintained. In fact, this is a relatively minor detail, considering that one of the virtues of team is that his drawing is changing continuously according to the needs that has marked the development of the matches.

Also to be seen whether, beyond the point reprimand Adriano, the Brazilian repeated on the left side is either Carles Puyol who takes care of that band. Alves seems fixed on the right and Mascherano and Pique would be responsible for the shaft.

Also in the midfield there are several options and Thiago and Keita could be included in the starting lineup. From the outset, the squad has more numbers allows for their return to rest Iniesta and Xavi without drawing and style suffer. The Mali international could be the relief of Sergio Busquets, but Guardiola is unlikely that many changes take place in the starting line in one go. Another thing is that they all are shared playing time will elapse depending on how the meeting.

In the offensive device also point to retrieve new effective developments. The today seems a good match for Pedro Rodríguez continued availability of minutes to help you definitively refine your setup.

And in the case of Alexis Sanchez has overcome a thigh problem and needs minutes of footage that will help restore the competitive edge. This would allow to rest Cesc Fàbregas while the axis of attack would remain the evergreen Leo Messi. The Rosario, in a state of excellent and engaged in the struggle for the 'top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo how often is a guarantee to score. (via SPORT)

Carlos Martins has finally entered the call for his team for the match against Barcelona that the penalty for being sent off in the previous game will play in the day of weekend.

Granada CF has confirmed this afternoon that it has received a notice from the Competition Committee meeting stating that the assessment of incidents of the day number 28, which ends tonight with Espanyol, Racing Santander, will be held on Wednesday 21 to from 14.00.

For this reason, Martins has entered the call, which finally is twenty players to travel with the team to Barcelona and take part in the clash to be played at night at the Camp Nou.

The Portuguese sanction for being sent off in the match played against Sporting Gijón on Saturday, the day will play in next weekend, so it will be low for the shock of the day 30 that the play Granada Los Cármenes against Sevilla.

Granada coach, Abel Resino, said at the meeting that his team will play tomorrow, Tuesday, against Barcelona in the Camp Nou, "any result other than losing is good," and described the task of scoring as "difficult but not impossible."

Resino said at a press conference for the Granada and their players "must be a source of pride to defend this club and the hobby" and "play the best golf of the world against the best team in the world is something to enjoy it. "the coach has said that they are aware of the" potential for Barcelona, ​​"which can only stand up" defending very well, with lots of help, being all together and taking away the ball as long as possible. "

"Against Barcelona any result other than losing is good," he insisted Resino, who believes that rate is "a difficult but not impossible" even though his own flock to Camp Nou with a call "unbalanced" because there are low and are "the righteous." Atletico coach does not believe that the azulgranas has a bearing on the "sting" of Real Madrid against Málaga because "Barcelona does not need much motivation to meet the parties and that is the best team in the world and all of them dominates."

Resino has commanded "the full support of Granada" the Frenchman Eric Abidal, has called the Barcelona players as "the best in the world" and said that coach Pep Guardiola is doing "extraordinary work". "Guardiola is a very good psychologist, says the league is lost but if the are not going to be squeamish, "he added Resino, who believes, however, that la Liga" is going to win the Real Madrid because he is very strong. " (via MD)

The Barça manager believes that it will be “very difficult” for Barça to catch a Real Madrid “that loses very few matches”.

Guardiola admitted that it’s “better to be 8 points behind instead of 10” but he’s clear that his team needs to focus “on competing well in our matches”.



Despite Real Madrid’s slip up that allowed Barça to come within eight points of the top, Josep Guardiola hasn’t changed his opinion from the last time he gave a press conference: “I haven’t changed my opinion from two days ago. It will be very difficult for this [overturning Madrid’s advantage] to happen.” The manager went on to say that Madrid is a very strong team that “loses very few matches.”

Guardiola reminded the packed press room that his team has a tough road ahead. He knows that his players will give everything they have in every game but “it will be difficult to win all 11 matches that we have left. It’s a ‘titanic’ job.” In fact, all of the teams that Barça is to face from now until the end of this season are playing for something, “there won’t be any meaningless matches.”

Despite the monumental task at hand, the Barça fans are hopeful for a La Liga title this season. “I’m delighted that they believe, because my opinion isn’t the standard. The supporters need to stick with the players. It would be a shame if they thought like me. The players are the ones with a monumental challenge.”

“It’s better to be 8 points behind instead of 10 but the only reality is that this Tuesday we have to compete again.” This is Guardiola’s mentality ahead of tomorrow’s match against Granada. He believes that his team needs to focus on itself and forget about what Madrid does. “We have to do what we have done up until now; win matches and compete well. We need to win our matches, we’ll see what happens in a couple of weeks.” The Barça manager said that “the objective isn’t to focus on a comeback. If we were four or five points behind, sure, but not when we’re at a distance of eight.”

Guardiola praised Pedro for the good performance he put in against Sevilla. “Pedro needs to be the same player he was against Sevilla. Thanks to his effort, where he ran enough for three players, the other players were able to do what they did.” He added that the Spanish winger hasn’t been able to show his quality this year because “he’s been on the sidelines for a long time.” (via FCBarcelona.cat)

Granada were playing in the third tier of Spanish football two seasons ago , but two successive promotions have seen them get back into the top flight after a 35 year absence and after changing managers in January, they are fighting hard to stay there for at least another year.

This is Granada’s 18th season in the top flight since they were founded in 1931, though it’s their first season back since 1976, since when they have hit the depths and now risen again to the heights of the Spanish game. Granada were relegated at the end of the 1975/76 season and then spent 25 years scratching round the second and third tiers of the Spanish League before in 2002 they were relegated down to the fourth tier.

It was a tough period for a club who although they have never won a title, were runners up in the Cup in 1959 – when Barça beat them 4-1 in the final - and had spent 13 years in the first division in the 50s, 60s and 70s. In 2006, after four years in the fourth level, Granada won promotion to the third and within 5 years they had won a place in Primera again. Last year they finished 5th in the second division, but beat Celta de Vigo and Elche in the play offs to seal their second promotion in two years.

Granada are currently 15th – seven points off the drop zone – and won an important three points at the weekend by beating fellow strugglers Sporting 2-1. Granada have been in the bottom half all season, but fought their way out of the bottom three in week 11 and have managed to keep out of the danger area since then. In their last seven away games they’ve won just once -1-2 at Betis – and lost all the other six, including a 5-1 defeat at the Bernabéu and all season they’ve managed just 8 goals on the road.

Abel Resino took over the reins at Granada on January 23rd this year after Fabri was sacked and the former Atlético Madrid keeper made a bright start, with three wins in his first four games, before losing three on the trot and finally getting back to winning ways at the weekend, to leave his record standing at 4 wins and 4 defeats since taking over. Resino had previously managed Levante and Atlético Madrid in the top flight and Murcia, Castellón and Valladolid in the second division.

Granada’s striker Ikechukwu Uche made his name with his extraordinary scoring feats against Madrid. In the 2006/7 season he scored a fantastic goal in Recre’s 0-3 win at the Bernabéu, then in 2008 he scored the only goal in Getafe’s 0-1 win on the same ground and the following season scored the third in Getafe’s 3-1 win over Madrid. The following season he was sold to Zaragoza, but suffered a serious injury that kept him out for nearly eighteen months. Last summer he was sold to Villarreal who sent him out on loan, where he scored the team’s first goal back in the top flight in the 1-0 win over….Villarreal! (via FCBarcelona.com)

After cutting into Real Madrid’s lead, Barça finalised preparations ahead of tomorrow’s match against Granada will all available first-team players including Afellay, Abidal and Barça B’s Tello and Muniesa.



The midweek Liga match will bring Granada to the Camp Nou this Tuesday (21:00). Only two days after the victory in Seville, Josep Guardiola’s men returned to work this evening at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper to finalise preparations for tomorrow’s clash with the Andalusians.

All 17 available first-team players, plus Afellay - who returned to training with the group after his injury - and Éric Abidal. Tello and Muniesa also trained with the first team.

The last training session before the match against Granada will take place tomorrow at noon at the Camp Nou. (via FCBarcelona.com)

After winning an important victory at the Sánchez Pizjuán, Pep Guardiola’s players will play two more La Liga matches this week as they try to cut into Real Madrid’s lead.

The Culé footballers will host Granada this Tuesday, and on Saturday they travel to the Balearic Islands to take on Caparrós’ Mallorca.

The Barça squad is mentally preparing for a week that will bring two La Liga clashes. After taking the three points from Seville, the Azulgranas will hold a closed-door training session this Monday at 18:00 at the Ciutat Esportiva Sant Joan Despí to prepare for La Liga’s Matchday 29. Pep Guardiola will hold a post-training press conference.

The coaching staff have scheduled an afternoon training session for Tuesday at the Camp Nou to finalise preparations for the clash with Granada. The game will be played later that evening at 21:00. With no time to rest, the Azulgrana team will return to work the next day, Wednesday morning at 11:00, at the Ciutat Esportiva Sant Joan Despí.

On Thursday, however, the team will have a deserved day off before returning to work on Friday to prepare for the match against Mallorca.

The team will add finishing touches to their game plan during a training session that’s scheduled to take place at 11:00 at the Ciutat Esportiva. The team will depart for the Balearic Islands on the same day. Barça will take on the team led by Joaquín Caparrós at 18:00 on Saturday. After a frenetic week, the team will enjoy a day off on Sunday. (via FCBarcelona.com)