Granada vs Barcelona: TV channel, live stream, team news & prediction

A Granada side that ended 2021 in good form host Barcelona in La Liga on Saturday afternoon.

The team managed by the former interim Spain boss Robert Moreno comes into the contest in 13th but unbeaten in their past six La Liga matches, claiming a famous 2-1 victory over Atletico Madrid in their last home game.

Barcelona began the year with a nervy 1-0 win over Mallorca but are yet to fully click into gear under Xavi Hernandez, who has hardly been aided by the influx of injuries and illness throughout the squad.

How to watch Granada vs Barcelona on TV/live stream

When is kick off? Saturday 8 January, 17:30 (GMT)
Where is the match being played? Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes
TV channel/live stream? LaLigaTV (UK), ESPN+ (US), TSN (Canada)
Highlights? La Liga YouTube Channel
Referee? TBC
VAR? TBC

Granada team news

Granada's first match of 2022 was an underwhelming 0-0 draw away to Elche made all the more memorable for the COVID absentees Moreno had to juggle. However, Granada have since reported two new positive tests, believed to be their vice-captain German Sanchez and forward Alberto Soro.

The club had previously revealed four first-team players had contracted COVID-19 during the mini-winter break La Liga teams briefly enjoyed, but that quartet is again available for selection. Although, whether they will be ready for the visit of Barcelona after an isolation period remains to be seen.

Santiago Arias (hamstring) and Ruben Rochina (ankle) are also doubtful with injury concerns.

Barcelona team news

Barcelona's personnel crisis is so severe the club skirted on the edge of the league's regulations regarding at least seven first team players on the pitch at any one time of a La Liga match last weekend.

Pedri and the inexplicable new signing of Ferran Torres join Philippe Coutinho, Abde Ezzalzouli, Gavi and Alex Balde as positive COVID cases. The French centre back duo of Clement Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti are also sidelined with a stomach bug.

While Martin Braithwaite (knee) and Moussa Wague (tendon) remain long term absentees, Ronald Araujo and Frenkie de Jong were both forced off in Barcelona's unconvincing Copa del Rey victory in midweek, leaving their involvement on Saturday in doubt.

Dani Alves was finally able to make his second debut for the Catalan giants on Wednesday but two of the squad's younger options for right back - Sergino Dest (groin) and Sergi Roberto (tendon) - are also injury doubts.

You can read Barcelona's predicted lineup for the game here.

Granada vs Barcelona head-to-head record

Barcelona may enjoy the superior overall record against Granada (winning 39 of their 51 league meetings, losing just seven), but the Catalan behemoths have come unstuck against the east Andalusian outfit since they won promotion again in 2019.

Under the stewardship of Diego Martinez, Granada not only earned consecutive top half finishes upon their return to the top flight (and qualification to the Europa League) but claimed six points against the Blaugrana across two seasons.

Martinez's successor Moreno took a point off of Ronald Koeman's Barcelona at Camp Nou earlier this season, during the final dark days of the Dutchman's tenure as coach.

Granada vs Barcelona score prediction

Barcelona delivered no fewer than 40 crosses that bleak September day - a glaring admission of a distinct lack of ideas under the previous regime. Yet, Xavi has struggled to provide immediate salvation and the club's last La Liga goal was a towering header from Luuk de Jong meeting a high ball tossed into the box.

Nevertheless, as unconvincing and flawed as they continue to be, the sheer weight of (often underperforming) talent among Barcelona's ranks nudges them ahead of Granada as favourites for the upcoming league match.

Prediction: Granada 1-2 Barcelona