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The Blaugrana could go to the top of La Liga for the first time this season, provided they beat Granada in their next match. In a rearranged fixture, Ronald Koeman’s side will hope to claim all three points. They can leapfrog Atletico Madrid and go first if they win this one.
Thirteen points separated Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at one point this season. The Rojiblancos had opened up what felt like an unassailable lead at the top of the league, with both Barca and Real Madrid left far behind. However, Diego Simeone’s men have stumbled since the turn of the year, allowing both their rivals to catch up to them. If Barca win their next match, they could even displace them at the top of the league for the time being.
To go to the top of the table, Barcelona will have to beat Granada. Diego Martinez’s side has fallen behind in the race to qualify for Europe and are themselves looking to make up lost ground. A win for them in this match would take their tally to 45 points from 33 matches. However, they will still trail seventh-placed Villarreal by four points. As such, a return to Europe for the second straight season looks unlikely for the Nazaries. Their recent loss to Sevilla seems to have left them with too much to do in too little time.
Time is what Barcelona have on their side. A climb to the summit this close to the end of the season will surely have a huge impact – both on the Blaugrana and their rivals. With just five matches left to play this season, and only one of them against difficult opposition, Barcelona will be the favourites to lift the league title by the end of the season.
The difficult opposition in question, however, is Atletico Madrid. The two teams will face each other on May 8 in what could be the deciding game of the season. A win for one side will surely secure their position on top of the league while eliminating the other from the title race. Meanwhile, teams that are lurking behind them – namely Real Madrid and Sevilla – could take advantage of a draw.
The LaLiga title race is shaping up nicely towards the end of the season, with the top four teams separated by just three points. Furthermore, with matches such as Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid vs Sevilla yet to come, it is bound to go down to the wire.
Key Players
It’s a testament to Lionel Messi’s incredible talent that he remains the key man for Barcelona after so many seasons at the club. The Argentine is one of the players responsible for his team’s upturn in form midway through the season. However, his contribution is the most tangible, as it can be measured in terms of goals and assists – both of which he has plenty. Messi is the top scorer in the league this season and has recorded the third-most assists.
Not many were excited by the appointment of Ronald Koeman as the Barcelona head coach ahead of the season. However, Frenkie De Jong can rightly take responsibility for his team’s ascent to the top of the league. His mid-season tweak in the formation saw the Dutchman deployed deeper than usual, with the Netherlands international almost playing as a centreback. That has worked well in favour of Barcelona and has made them more solid defensively.
Such has been the impact of Yangel Herrera at Granada that even his parent club – Manchester City – are beginning to take notice. The Venezuelan midfielder was sent out on loan for the season to Spain and has impressed with his displays. He has scored eight goals for his club this season, albeit most of them have come in the Europa League. Martinez’s side reached the quarter-finals of the competition thanks to his contributions.
Another Premier League loanee who has impressed in Spain is Kenedy. The winger is on loan at Granada from Chelsea and has become one of their most important players. The Brazilian has largely been a first-team member for Granada and has even scored seven goals this season. Whether or not the Spanish side signs him permanently remains to be seen. However, there is no question that he has been a key figure for the team throughout the season.
Prediction
Granada are an exciting side and have a squad talented enough to beat any opponent on their day. Martinez’s team proved the same in this season’s Europa League, in which they beat Italian giants Napoli in a two-legged tie.
However, with the kind of form Barcelona are in, one would expect them to easily secure a win in this match. Koeman’s side has turned on the afterburners at just the right time this season and are blowing teams away. They will be confident about beating Granada and climbing atop the league table.
