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Win or win the options if Barca want to maintain title hopes in Granada

Xinhua, February 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

FC Barcelona travel to struggling Granada on Saturday afternoon knowing anything other than a win will almost certainly mean the end of their challenge for the BBVA Primera Liga.

The past seven days have seen the Jekyll and Hyde sides of Barca's character as they produced a horrible display at home to Malaga to lose 1-0 before turning in the style on Tuesday to defeat Manchester City 2-1 away from home in the Champions League.

However, although the Manchester City display allowed Barca to recover self-esteem after last Saturday's defeat, it is the Malaga game which has most bearing this weekend as it means Luis Enrique's men slipped to four points behind Real Madrid in the title race.

Once again Barca have to win their games and then hope that somewhere along the line another side will do them a favor and take points of Real Madrid.

First of all, however, Barca have to fulfil their part of the bargain, starting with taking three points from the 'Los Carmines' Stadium.

Granada suffered a heartbreaking defeat on Monday when it looked as if they were going to cling on for a heroic win away to Levante after being reduced to nine men, only for two injury time goals to break their hearts and leave them second from bottom of the table.

Saturday will be an emotional day for Granada goalkeeper Oier Olazabal, who left Barca last summer in need of first team action and who has forced his way into the plans of Granada coach, Abel Resino. Speaking in the week, Oier explained he had needed to move to ensure he finally played in the Primera Liga after seasons defending the goal in Barca's B-team.

Luis Enrique will make changes to the side which won in Manchester with Claudio Bravo returning in goal while Jeremy Mathieu and Marc Bartra play in central defense to allow Javier Mascherano to push into his favored midfield position, to give a rest to Sergio Busquets, who on Thursday signed a new contract to keep him at the club until 2020. Endi