Barcelona 1-1 Granada: 5 Talking Points as Araujo spares Ronald Koeman's blushes with late equaliser

The whistles in Barcelona were deafening, and understandably so. The Blaugrana's make-or-break week in La Liga got off to a catastrophic start as Barcelona dropped points against Granada in front of a displeased home crowd at the Camp Nou.

The Catalans enjoyed a massive share of possession but largely failed to make it count as Granada took the lead with less than two minutes on the clock. Barcelona were run ragged by the Andalusian press and were unable to create concrete chances in the first half.

The second half brought about an astonishing change in approach from Ronald Koeman, with Luuk de Jong replacing Sergi Roberto. Barcelona resorted to a barrage of crosses in the final half-hour of the match and eventually came away with a solitary point.

The Catalans did manage to salvage the bare minimum from a game that was theirs for the taking, but Ronald Koeman will now have much to answer for. Tonight's performance will play a pivotal role in the context of Barcelona's immediate future, and the team's shockingly uncharacteristic display has evidently opened up a world of debate and discussion.

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#5 Barcelona need a complete overhaul

FC Barcelona v Granada CF - La Liga Santander

Flatness - not a word you would usually associate with Barcelona's historically effervescent style of play. In recent months, however, the Blaugrana have conspired to shoot themselves in the foot and have become decidedly uninspiring in the final third.

For the first 45 minutes of the game, Granada had the better chances, despite Barcelona bossing the ball in the middle of the pitch. Barcelona were able to get the ball into wide areas easily enough but seemed to run out of ideas mere seconds after they found themselves in promising positions.

As far as red flags are concerned, this particular problem could cripple Barcelona. The Catalans have always had issues with their defence but their attacking output has been a consistent feature of their success. Barcelona did manage to improve their chance creation as the game progressed, but they can ill afford to make slow starts against La Liga's feisty opponents.

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#4 Granada make the Camp Nou their hunting ground

Granada held their ground against Barcelona

Granada made history at the Camp Nou earlier this year when they secured a famous victory at the Catalan stadium for the first time in an astonishing 89 years. Barcelona were poised to move to the top of the La Liga standings on the day but were left reeling by a stunning Granada comeback.

The Andalusians were at it again tonight. In less than two minutes, Barcelona were pegged back by a set-piece and took over an hour to mount a recovery. Granada outperformed Barcelona with their tenacity in the first half and came away with a deserved point.

In the four months that followed their victory at the Camp Nou, Granada have failed to win a single league game. The away side has conceded six goals in its last two games but seemed fairly comfortable against Barcelona's attacking endeavours.

Granada are now unbeaten in their last two visits to the Camp Nou and may well have turned one of Spain's most daunting stadiums into a footballing fortress of their own.

#3 The kids are all right

Barcelona are relying heavily on their teenagers

Barcelona's capitulation against Bayern Munich left a lingering sore taste, but there remained a silver lining. The last 15 minutes of the game saw the likes of Gavi and Yusuf Demir step up admirably and show an element of resolve that had deserted the team's senior pros.

Granada are no Bayern Munich, but Barcelona faced similar creative struggles in the first half. The last half-hour did see the Catalans up their tempo, with both Demir and Gavi at the heart of some impressive passages of play. The latter is only 17 years old at the moment and managed to pick up his first La Liga assist with a cross that essentially earned Barcelona a crucial point.

The night, however, belonged to the 22-year-old Ronald Araujo. The towering defender was an unshakeable rock in Barcelona's defence and was their most promising goal threat throughout the game. The Uruguayan centre-back eviscerated Granada's defence on numerous occasions and was easily the best player on the pitch.

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#2 Ronald Koeman's days at Barcelona are numbered

Ronald Koeman has a lot to answer for

In the long term, it is not conceivable that Barcelona will persist with performances such as these. Given that the equaliser was a direct result of his gung-ho tactics, Ronald Koeman can make a case for himself tonight. The Camp Nou sets high standards, however, and Barcelona have a reputation to preserve.

Ronald Araujo might have spared his namesake the sack tonight with his equaliser. Koeman attributed his side's difficulties to Granada's antics off the ball, but it remains plainly evident that Barcelona are fairly clueless in possession.

Joan Laporta does not mince words, and Barcelona could be in for a rough ride both on an off the pitch this season. The Catalans are used to winning in style, and Koeman's inability to win despite abandoning Barcelona's fundamental ethos makes his situation ominous at best.

Ronald Koeman has already taken credit for Barcelona's future, but the club's self-proclaimed saviour will now need to address his own standing in the Catalan capital.

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#1 Identity crisis? What identity crisis?

Barcelona struggled against Granada

It is now undeniable: Barcelona have morphed into a grotesque symbol of anti-football. The fanbase has, for the past several years, struggled through a crisis of identity. Ronald Koeman begs to differ.

The decision to sign Luuk de Jong was arguably the biggest indicator of Barcelona's plans this season. The coaching staff seemed to have a clear plan going into the second half tonight and while it may have yielded a late equaliser, the fact that Barcelona need to resort to last-ditch crosses against Granada at the Camp Nou paints quite a picture of the club's astronomical sporting collapse.

About a decade ago, Stoke City unearthed the ultimate guide to their survival in the Premier League under Tony Pulis. The Potters packed the box with giants and the subsequent aerial bombardment would lead to occasionally stunning results.

Ronald Koeman essentially implemented his own version of 'Pulisball' against Granada. With Gerard Pique, Luuk de Jong, and Ronald Araujo up front, his midfield was visibly instructed to put in a cross at every given opportunity.

Barcelona ended the game with a whopping 54 crosses and a paltry one goal to their name. Compromises have to be made when football clubs are in transition, but Barcelona's demeanour tonight leaves them with no excuse.