With the top two sides in the La Liga table clashing the day before, Barcelona hope to capitalise on any potential opening above them as they host Granada on Sunday.
Xavi's side has lagged behind the two leaders, Real Madrid and Girona, all year, leading to the former Barca midfielder's impending exit this summer. Yet they still lurk six behind second and eight back of Los Blancos in first, meaning they could pull within striking distance of whichever side above them drops points.
They also must keep their wits to fend off fourth-place Atletico Madrid and fifth-placed Athletic Club, who sit two and five points back respectively. If Barca slip any further, they risk dropping out of a Champions League place altogether.
Granada sit 19th in the table, in full relegation red alert, eight points adrift of safety with just two wins all year. They managed a hard-fought draw with Barca in the reverse fixture back in early October, only denied a valuable upset victory on Sergi Roberto's 85th minute winner.
USA: Click here to see the latest odds for Barcelona vs Granada and bet La Liga matches
Barcelona vs Granada prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: Draw (+600)
- Score prediction: Barcelona 0-0 Granada
Xavi has done well to keep this Barca team afloat in league play despite the negative optics and litany of injuries, making his future dismissal feel somewhat harsh, even if the team doesn't look remotely close to its best.
Young striker Vitor Roque has played hero multiple times the last few weeks, but he won't have the chance to do so here as he serves a one-match suspension for his silly pair of bookings last time out, leaving Barca further stretched thin from an availability perspective.
Without him, this feels like a classic trap game. Xavi has the Catalan club playing well of late, but with the Champions League knockout stage on the horizon, they could be caught looking ahead, and Granada's recent shift towards defensive solidity is the type of style that has troubled Barcelona the most this season. They are more comfortable in a shootout, but against teams that bunker, they've at times looked devoid of creativity.
| DraftKings (USA) |
|
| Barcelona win | -550 |
| Draw | +600 |
| Granada win | +900 |
| Both teams to score Y/N |
-115 / -115 |
| Over / Under 2.5 goals |
+100 / -140 |
| Barcelona -1.5 goals |
-165 |
| Granada +1.5 goals |
+130 |
Barcelona vs Granada match facts
- Date: Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024
- Kickoff Time: 9 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT)
- Location: Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium (Barcelona, Spain)
- Referee: Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias, VAR: Carlos Del Cerro Grande
- Last meeting: Granada 2-2 Barcelona (Oct. 8, 2023 | La Liga)
Barcelona vs Granada: best bet
- Pick: Under 3 total goals
- Odds: +130 (DraftKings)
With the perception around Barcelona's attacking talent, the betting market often inflates their chances of scoring in bunches, especially against lower-table domestic clubs. Yet there's plenty of reason to believe this match could be a slog.
Granada have shored up their early-season defensive issues, conceding five goals over their five league games in 2024, including a 1-0 defeat against Atletico Madrid who are far more attack-minded this season than Diego Simeone's been known for the last few years. It's come at the cost of their production up front, as Atletico Madrid has scored just three goals in that same span.
Barcelona produce overwhelming attacking pressure up front, but they convert their chances at a horribly inefficient rate, with a -7.27 xG/goal differential that ranks below all other top-half teams and fifth-worst in the entire Spanish top flight. Robert Lewandowski's regression has been at the heart of those issues, ending a seven-match league scoreless streak with a goal last time out. If Granada bunker, it could give Barcelona fits throughout the match.
Barcelona vs Granada prop bet
- Pick: Ilkay Gundogan to score or assist a goal
- Odds: +100 (FanDuel)
With the betting market expecting Barcelona to pour on the goals, their odds for individual production are all frustratingly deflated, making the value here tough to find, especially if we expect this match to end up with fewer goals to go around than expected.
Yet there is one player who has been a force of late, as midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has picked up his creative contributions to help paper over the spotty production from Barcelona's injury-riddled front line. Gundogan has five goal contributions in his last five league games, but his influence goes beyond just end product.
Since the start of December, a span of nine La Liga games, Gundogan has ripped off 19 shots and delivered 32 key passes amounting to 7.5 xG+xA. He has a game with eight shots (a 4-2 win over Girona in mid-December), plus games with 10 key passes (a 5-3 defeat to Villarreal) and seven key passes (the 3-2 win over Almeria). While young Lamine Yamal also comes into his own out on the wing, Gundogan remains a top midfield player in the attacking third often overlooked with other flashier stars in the squad.
Barcelona vs Granada live stream, TV channel
| TV channel | Streaming | |
| USA | ESPN Deportes | Fubo USA, ESPN+, WatchESPN |
| Canada | — | TSN+ |
| UK | Viaplay Sports 1 | LaLigaTV |
Text (USA)
