“We are recovering players. I imagine that we will all be there for the Super Cup. Xavi Hernández was so optimistic at the pre-match press conference in which Barça will face Granada in the Nuevo Los Cármenes (6:30 pm, Movistar LaLiga). Three of the players who were sidelined after testing positive for Covid-19, Sergiño Dest, Ez Abde, Gavi and Balde, will already be training yesterday, while the Terrassa coach hopes to recover the rest of the players before heading to Arabia. Saudi Arabia to play in the Spanish Super Cup. One of those who will be recovered to face Real Madrid on Wednesday will be Ansu Fati. “We want Ansu Fati to be one hundred percent. In principle, he will not be available against Granada, but he will be in the Super Cup “, said Xavi.
One of those who will not be there today, and it seems that he will not arrive for the Super Cup either, is Ronald Araujo, who in the Copa del Rey match at the Linares field (1-2) fractured the second and third metacarpal of the hand right and yesterday he was operated on. According to the club’s statement, the Uruguayan was “intervened satisfactorily” and “his evolution will mark his availability.” In contrast, Frenkie de Jong, who suffered an elongation in the sole of his left leg, has more numbers to travel to Saudi Arabia. Another unknown is when Ferran Torres, the new Barça signing, will be able to make his debut. On Tuesday, he tested positive for Covid-19 and has not yet been discharged after a fractured foot, but at the moment he cannot be registered in La Liga because the club has to reduce its payroll. With the transfer of Coutinho to Aston Villa, a step was taken so that Foios could be registered, however it seems that this is still not enough. The club also has Pedri, who is still recovering from a coronavirus, and Memphis Depay, who, along with Ansu Fati, has already trained with his teammates in recent training sessions. In addition, Clément Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti are recovering from their gastric ailments that prevented them from being in the Cup match at Linares and it is not ruled out that they will be able to play today.
Before traveling to Saudi Arabia, however, the Barça team has a test drive in the Granada field. Both teams arrive with good dynamics in the game and will be an exam for climbing for both, with the intention of extending their time. The Andalusians have been unbeaten for six games, while the Catalans have four, so far, the best streak so far this season. Barça have improved their game and results with the management of Xavi and, if they win at Granada, they will complete their streak improvement in this league. In addition, it will allow them to enter the positions of Champions if Atlético is not able to win on Sunday at Villarreal. In the last three games, Barça have scored seven of the nine possible points. He beat Elche at the Camp Nou (3-2), won at Mallorca (0-1) and drew with Sevilla (0-1), completing one of the best matches of the season.
But Barça will not have it easy. Ahead will be a Granada that has lost six games and three victories at home (2-1 against Alabès, 4-1 against Mallorca and 2-1 against Atètic). The Andalusian team is coached by Robert Moreno, who trained at Barça and who had the current Barça coach, Xavi Hernández, under his command. In fact, the white-and-reds’ coach praised the Terrassa coach: “It’s ideal for Barça”, he explained, because “Barça has lived since he was a child and has the club’s DNA”.
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