Barcelona have a big chance on Thursday to become the favorites to win La Liga when they welcome Granada to the Camp Nou. Lionel Messi and company enter the day in third place with 71 points, but that is having played one less game than the two teams above them — Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid. A victory here would put them in sole possession of first place by one point with five games to go.
Here’s how you can watch the match and what to know:
Viewing information
- Date: Thursday, April 29
- Time: 1 p.m. ET
- Location: Camp Nou — Barcelona, Spain
- TV: beIN Sports
- Live stream: WATCH FREE HERE
- Odds: Barca -700; Draw +700; Granada +1800 (via William Hill Sportsbook)
Storylines
Barca: It feels like a must-win match for Ronald Koeman’s team. With a game against Atletico Madrid on the horizon, a win in this one would make a draw against Atleti a good result. Anything but a win here, and that match will feel like another much more difficult must-win. In Granada, Barca are facing the worst defense in the league, having conceded 53 goals. There is no reason why this shouldn’t be a blow out, though Granada can at times come alive in attack.
Granada: Yes, the defense is awful. It’s wild to think that this team has 12 teams below them in the league, all of which have conceded less. But to their credit, they have been able to squeak out narrow wins to climb to eighth in the table. They’ve conceded in eight straight games though, and they don’t have a chance to qualify for Europe, so it is all about finishing as high as they can. They don’t have the pressure or urgency, which opens up the window for a big Barca win. Expect them to get some decent looks in attack but for the defense to struggle.
Prediction
Lionel Messi does his thing and Barcelona’s strong conclusion to the season continues. Pick: Barca 3, Granada 0
Source: CBS Sports
