Considering the current injury situation at Barcelona, manager Xavi is expected to make some changes to the starting XI for the upcoming match against Granada, as reported by Mundo Deportivo. Key players like Ronald Araujo and Ilkay Gundogan might be given a rest to manage the rotation.
Barcelona is currently dealing with injuries to star forwards Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, as well as crucial midfielders Frenkie de Jong and Pedri. Additionally, Real Madrid’s recent 4-0 victory over Osasuna has increased pressure on Barcelona, as Real Madrid leads the table by four points.
Furthermore, many first-team regulars will be unavailable for training due to international commitments next week, which means Xavi will aim to field a strong XI for the upcoming match while considering the players’ workload.
Ronald Araujo, who recently experienced cramps in Barcelona’s match against Porto, is likely to be rested, even though he has trained normally. Given Araujo’s previous injuries and his upcoming travels with the Uruguay national team for World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Brazil, Xavi may opt to provide him with much-needed rest. Consequently, Jules Kounde and Andreas Christensen are expected to start in defense, with Alejandro Balde and Joao Cancelo on the wings.
In the midfield, Xavi may decide to rest Ilkay Gundogan, who has played the full duration of the last five games and is also the captain of the German national team, expected to have a significant role in their upcoming friendly matches. In his place, Fermin Lopez could be deployed in the midfield, as he has consistently performed well when given the opportunity.
In the attacking department, Ferran Torres is the likely replacement for the injured Robert Lewandowski, with support from Lamine Yamal and Joao Felix on the flanks.