Barcelona in need of boost after Euro exit

MADRID - Reigning La Liga champions Barcelona will need to recover quickly to maintain hopes of retaining their title as they travel to Granada on Saturday just three days after being dumped out the Champions League by Atletico Madrid.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Saturday

Celta Vigo vs R Sociedad 4pm

Villarreal vs Levante 6pm

Granada vs Barcelona 8pm

Real Madrid vs Almeria 10pm

Sunday

Betis vs Sevilla 12pm

Valencia vs Elche 5pm

Getafe vs Atletico 7pm

Espanyol vs Rayo 9pm

Monday

Athletic vs Malaga 10pm

MADRID - Reigning La Liga champions Barcelona will need to recover quickly to maintain hopes of retaining their title as they travel to Granada on Saturday just three days after being dumped out the Champions League by Atletico Madrid.

The Catalans also trail Atletico by a point at the top of the table with just six games remaining, but continue to have matters in their own hands as they meet Los Rojiblancos for the sixth time this season on the final day of the campaign.

Barca could even still win a domestic double as they also face Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday.

Midfielder Andres Iniesta was surprisingly withdrawn with half an hour still to play as Barca trailed 1-0 at the Vicente Calderon in midweek, but he insists they have no time to feel sorry for themselves.

"The substitution surprised me, but the coach is the one who makes the decisions,” he said. "The defeat shouldn’t affect us. The Champions League is a wonderful competition, but you cannot win it every year.

Real Madrid also remain in contention for the title as they lie just three points off the top in third place.

However, Los Blancos look set to be without star man Cristiano Ronaldo once more when they host Almeria at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday as tests revealed on Thursday that he has a hamstring strain that could keep him out for a couple of weeks.

Leaders Atletico are not in action until Sunday when they travel across Madrid to face relegation threatened Getafe at the Alfonso Perez Coliseum.