Week after a demoralizing loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Barcelona faltered at Camp Nou once more, being held by winless Granada.
Barcelona wished a 90th-minute equalizer through defender Ronald Araujo, sparking jeers by means of many inside the crowd of nearly 27,000.
The setback followed the 3-0 rout by Bayern within the crew’s first defeat on the grounds that losing Lionel Messi to Paris Saint-Germain, and brought pressure on teach Ronald Koeman and membership president Joan Laporta.
Granada got here to Barcelona winless in 4 matches and coming off consecutive losses, which includes at domestic in opposition to Real Betis in the Andalucia derby ultimate week. It defeated Barcelona at Camp Nou the remaining time they met in April.
“It’s a shame,” Araujo said. “If we were capable of score earlier we ought to are becoming the victory. After the early aim they sat back on protection and that made it difficult for us.”
The draw left Barcelona in seventh location, 5 points from chief Real Madrid with a sport in hand.
Coached through former Spain manager Robert Moreno, Granada opened the scoring mins into the healthy with a header by Domingos Duarte off a hard and fast-piece.
Barcelona squandered first-rate chances to equalize before halftime – Sergi Roberto hit the crossbar from within the place and Araujo’s header became brilliantly saved through Granada goalkeeper Luis Maximiano.
Memphis Depay and Luuk de Jong additionally failed to capitalize on scoring chances in the second 1/2, however Araujo in the end broke thru with a near-variety header inside the ninetieth.
“We understand that Barcelona isn’t going thru a great moment and it changed into crucial to try to take gain of that early on,” Duarte stated. “Earning a factor at Camp Nou is usually true however we came near getting the 3 points. In the cease they'd many chances too. It was a truthful result.”
Koeman couldn’t expect numerous gamers due to injuries, which includes Jordi Alba and Pedri Gonzalez.
He brought a few kids in the second half of, such as Riqui Puig and 17-12 months-vintage Gavi, who installation Araujo’s equalizer. Philippe Coutinho changed into one of the gamers replaced.
Veteran defender Gerard Pique played as a striker after entering the game in the final minutes.