Barcelona will be without Robert Lewandowski on Sunday as it turns its focus back to the Spanish league after putting itself in a good position to advance in the Champions League following group-stage elimination in the previous two editions.
Lewandowski sprained his left ankle in the first half of the 1-0 win at Porto on Wednesday and will not be available for the league match at Granada. Barcelona enters the weekend one point behind Spanish league leader Real Madrid, which hosts Osasuna on Saturday.
Barcelona said Lewandowski underwent tests on Thursday, but did not say how long the striker is expected to be sidelined. He could also miss Poland’s games during the upcoming international break.
Lewandowski has six goals and four assists in 10 games for Barcelona this season.
The win against Porto gave Barcelona the lead in Group H of the Champions League with six points from two victories, something the Catalan side hadn’t achieved in its first two matches since Lionel Messi’s last season for the club in 2020-21.
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Barcelona opened with two consecutive losses in 2021-22, and had already lost once at this point last season.
“If we have been haunted by bad results in recent years, then today we were able to exorcise some of those ghosts,” coach Xavi said after Wednesday’s game, his 100th in charge of the club.
Barcelona didn’t play particularly well against Porto but found a way to win.
“We have matured,” Xavi said. “We were far from our best, but this is Europe, this was Porto, and we left it all on the field.”
Lewandowski was replaced in the 34th minute and was expected to undergo further tests to know the extent of his injury. Xavi also saw youngster Lamine Yamal substituted with stomach pain late in the second half, while defender Ronald Araujo finished the match with cramp. Still out injured are Raphinha, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong.
Unbeaten this season, Barcelona now faces a Granada team that is second-to-last and whose only win came in the third round at Mallorca. It is coming off a 3-3 draw at last-place Almeria in a match it was losing 3-0 at halftime.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)