BARCA’S WOES CONTINUE

Obviously, I am worried

MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Barcelona threw on its stars of the present and the future, but neither Lionel Messi nor Ansu Fati could save it from a dismal 2-0 defeat away at Granada.

Messi was still not deemed fit enough to start at Los Carmenes while Fati, the 16-year-old who has lit up La Liga in recent weeks, also began the game on the bench.

But while both came on at half-time with Barca trailing to Ramon Azeez’s opener, it was Granada that scored again, Alvaro Vadillo converting a penalty after Arturo Vidal was found guilty of a handball.

Barcelona have won only two of its opening five league games and none away from Camp Nou, this its second loss already, just one fewer than the three it suffered during the entirety of last season.

With seven points on the board, this is its worst start to a season since 1994.

“Obviously, I am worried,” said coach Ernesto Valverde. “Because we are not getting good results and when that happens in two or three games, it means we are not playing well.”

Instead, Granada go top of the table after capitalizing on Atletico Madrid’s goalless draw at home to Celta Vigo a few hours before.

They will stay there until Sunday, when Sevilla, Real Madrid or Athletic Bilbao could overtake them.

Barcelona is sixth, grasping onto the consolation of Messi’s second substitute appearance in five days that now suggests he has finally recovered from the niggling calf injury sustained at the start of August.

Their problems are unlikely to be solved simply by their captain’s return.

Junior Firpo’s error two minutes into his first start for the club gifted Granada its opening goal and set the tone for a chaotic night on defense.

And up front, Antoine Griezmann was quiet again, with little in any of the combinations to suggest Ernesto Valverde has yet worked out who will form his best attacking trio and in what positions.

“In the end, the coach is responsible and I feel responsible,” Valverde said.

“I always think you can win or lose but at least you have to deserve to win when you lose, and today it hasn’t been like that.”