Official: Barcelona starting lineup against Granada — Ronald Araujo benched

Real Madrid may well have put the title race to bed yesternight with a stunning 4-0 win against Girona at the Santiago Bernabeu, but Barcelona will want to put as much pressure on their rivals for the last third of the season and push for a second place finish.

The first step towards that is beating Granada at home soil today despite not having won any game against the Andalusian outfit in their last four games. A run that has included three successive draws; and before that a 1-2 loss at the Camp Nou.

Xavi has made a couple of interesting changes to the side hoping to trump their bogey team.

The biggest is the return of Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The German takes over from Inaki Pena in goal, who had a rather disappointing run of games covering as first-choice.

Ronald Araujo has been replaced by Inigo Martinez, who partners Pau Cubarsi in central defence. Jules Kounde will stretch the pitch as the right-back, while Joao Cancelo retains his spot on the left side.

Ilkay Gundogan‘s back injury last weekend was deemed unserious, and German, therefore, gets the license to start in midfield alongside Frenkie de Jong.

And behind them, in case you did not tune in vs Deportivo Alaves, will be Andreas Christensen as the defensive midfielder. The Dane did a solid job in that role last weekend, and has been given the license to start again today.

Pedri is the final piece of the midfield-four, starting on the left-wing with the license to move inside. With Vitor Roque suspended and Ferran Torres, Joao Felix out of action due to injury, Lamine Yamal gets to start his sixth game in a row.

Robert Lewandowski rounds off the lineup leading the line as the no. 9, with two goals and an assist in his last five games.