Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski doubtful for La Liga clash against Granada
- Rob Fleming
- 5 October 2023
Barcelona face uncertainty ahead of their La Liga clash against Granada on Sunday as star striker Robert Lewandowski may be sidelined due to an ankle injury.
Lewandowski sustained the injury during their 1-0 victory over Porto in the Champions League on Wednesday. While Barcelona now lead their Champions League group, their focus shifts back to the domestic league where they trail Real Madrid by a single point.
Lewandowski's injury occurred during the first half of the match against Porto, leaving his participation in Sunday's league fixture in doubt. The Polish striker has been a crucial part of Barcelona's attack this season, and his absence would be a significant blow.
Barcelona's victory against Porto was a significant achievement as it marked the first time since the 2020-21 season that the Catalan side had secured back-to-back wins in the group stage. In the past two seasons, Barcelona had failed to advance beyond the group stage of the Champions League.
Barcelona's coach, Xavi Hernandez, commented on the team's performance, saying, "If we have been haunted by bad results in recent years, then today we were able to exorcise some of those ghosts." Despite not playing their best football against Porto, Barcelona managed to secure all three points and take control of their Champions League group.
Last season, Barcelona had promising showings against Inter Milan but failed to secure victories, ultimately leading to their elimination from the competition. Xavi noted the team's growth, stating, "We have matured. We were far from our best, but this is Europe, this was Porto, and we left it all on the field."
Lewandowski's injury adds an element of uncertainty to Barcelona's upcoming match against Granada. While Barcelona remain unbeaten in La Liga this season, Granada currently sit second-to-last in the league standings and have only managed one win so far.
In other La Liga action, league leaders Real Madrid will host Osasuna, aiming to maintain their strong start to the season. Real Madrid's only league loss came in a thrilling encounter against Atletico Madrid.
Speaking of Atletico Madrid, they are set to face Real Sociedad, with both teams coming off midweek victories in the Champions League. Atletico defeated Feyenoord 3-2, while Sociedad secured a 2-0 victory at Salzburg.
Meanwhile, Girona, one of the league's surprises this season, seek to rebound from a 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid as they visit Cadiz on Saturday. Girona had entered the match against Real Madrid on the back of a six-game winning streak.
Lastly, Getafe head into their match against Celta Vigo with a change in their stadium's name, now simply referred to as "Coliseum".
As Barcelona navigate the challenge of Lewandowski's injury, the La Liga title race remains closely contested, with Real Madrid currently holding a slim lead over their rivals.
