Barcelona 1-1 Granada: Ronald Araujo rescues point for woeful Barca

3 years ago 25
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Domingos Duarte heads in for Granada at BarcelonaGranada were minutes away from a second win at the Nou Camp in two seasons

Ronald Koeman "won't answer any more questions about the future" after Ronald Araujo's injury-time header rescued a point for his poor Barcelona side against Granada.

It did little to paper over the cracks of another poor home display as the pressure continues to build on Koeman.

Centre-back Araujo - playing as a makeshift striker - found the net right at the end of a half Barca dominated.

Granada had led from the second minute through Domingos Duarte's header.

But having been humbled by Bayern in the Champions League last week, it will do little to lift spirits, as questions continue to be asked about Koeman's future as Barcelona boss.

And Granada will be disappointed not to have picked up a first win of the season - and second victory in two seasons at the Nou Camp - after dealing so well for so long with the home side's aerial bombardment.

The final whistle was met with whistles by the home crowd, who were disappointed with the result and unimpressed by the hosts' direct style of play.

"We changed our style a little bit," Koeman said. "If you see the list of players, what do you do? Play tiki-taka? Tiki-taka when there are no spaces?

"We did what we had to do. We tried to win another way. We don't have players one-on-one or with speed. We're talking... I'm not going to say more because it seems I have to argue about everything."

In total, Barca sent over a remarkable 45 open-play crosses in the game in search of an equaliser, with only a Sergi Roberto poked shot and Araujo header superbly saved by Luis Maximiano to show for their first-half efforts.

It was only in the second period, with towering defenders Gerard Pique and Araujo pushed up top alongside substitute striker Luuk de Jong that the visiting backline was properly and consistently tested.

It looked like De Jong had spurned the golden chance, somehow heading over from inside the six-yard box, but Araujo showed him the way with a composed and well-taken effort.

Barca remain unbeaten in La Liga, with this result taking them up to seventh with eight points from four games.

They now face two games before the week is out - at Cadiz and then at home to Levante - before a big Champions League trip to Benfica a week on Wednesday.

Granada are winless and sit 17th on three points.

Line-ups

Barcelona

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1ter Stegen
  • 2Dest
  • 24García
  • 4AraujoBooked at 88mins
  • 31Balde MartínezSubstituted forMinguezaat 42'minutesBooked at 77mins
  • 20RobertoSubstituted forde Jongat 45'minutes
  • 5BusquetsSubstituted forPuig Martíat 74'minutes
  • 21de Jong
  • 11DemirSubstituted forPiquéat 75'minutesBooked at 90mins
  • 9Depay
  • 14CoutinhoSubstituted forPaez Gaviriaat 60'minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Piqué
  • 6Puig Martí
  • 13Murara Neto
  • 15Lenglet
  • 17de Jong
  • 22Mingueza
  • 23Umtiti
  • 26Peña Sotorres
  • 30Paez Gaviria

Granada

Formation 4-1-4-1

  • 1Arantes MaximianoBooked at 86mins
  • 17Marín RuizBooked at 88mins
  • 22Coutinho Meneses Duarte
  • 18AbramSubstituted forSánchezat 78'minutes
  • 3EscuderoSubstituted forNevaat 45'minutes
  • 5Milla
  • 10Rodríguez DíazSubstituted forGonalonsat 67'minutesBooked at 71mins
  • 14Rodríguez JiménezBooked at 87mins
  • 8EtekiSubstituted forMontoroat 30'minutesBooked at 40mins
  • 11Machís
  • 23MolinaSubstituted forSuárezat 67'minutes

Substitutes

  • 2Arias
  • 4Gonalons
  • 6Sánchez
  • 7Soro
  • 9Suárez
  • 13Escandell
  • 15Neva
  • 16Díaz
  • 19Montoro
  • 20Bacca
  • 21Rochina
  • 26Ruiz

Referee:Santiago Jaime Latre

Attendance:27,097

Live Text

  1. Match ends, Barcelona 1, Granada CF 1.

  2. Second Half ends, Barcelona 1, Granada CF 1.

  3. Foul by Gerard Piqué (Barcelona).

  4. Germán Sánchez (Granada CF) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  5. Attempt missed. Darwin Machís (Granada CF) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right following a set piece situation.

  6. Foul by Eric García (Barcelona).

  7. Darwin Machís (Granada CF) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  8. Gerard Piqué (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  9. Foul by Gerard Piqué (Barcelona).

  10. Domingos Duarte (Granada CF) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  11. Carlos Bacca (Granada CF) is shown the yellow card.

  12. Goal! Barcelona 1, Granada CF 1. Ronald Araujo (Barcelona) header from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Gavi.

  13. Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  14. Foul by Darwin Machís (Granada CF).

  15. Quini (Granada CF) is shown the yellow card.

  16. Ronald Araujo (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card.

  17. Foul by Eric García (Barcelona).

  18. Germán Sánchez (Granada CF) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  19. Monchu (Granada CF) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  20. Riqui Puig (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the left wing.

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