Sergi Samper returns to Camp Nou - wearing a Granada shirt

There are a number of FC Barcelona connections in the Granada team that’s coming to the Camp Nou on Saturday, and one of those is Sergi Samper, who is currently on loan from FCB to the Andalusian club.

The midfielder was the first ever player to rise through the ranks from FCBEscola at the age of six right up the first team. So this will be very a special game for a man who says that “Barça is the team of my life” but is now experiencing football elsewhere for the first time in his career.

“The fans and the people that work at Granada are treating me very well” says the 21 year old. “But I do miss the way they train at Barça”.

"Barça have strengthened well and have the kind of players that offer a lot of different options"

Samper is still keeping a close eye on progress at the Camp Nou, and comments that “Barça are looking very strong at the moment. They have strengthened the squad well and have the kind of players that offer a lot of different options.”

Granada, however, are currently bottom of the table and without a win to their name. They have responded by bringing in Lucas Alcaraz as a replacement for Paco Jémez as manager. It was a change that Samper believes might have been somewhat rash, “but that’s football and we just weren’t getting the right results. Alcaraz is the kind of coach who has clear ideas, who likes the lines to be kept tight and takes defensive matters very seriously. I’ve never played that way before and I have had to adapt in order to be part of his plans. But the team is working hard and the results will start coming.”

As for Saturday’s game, he concludes that “the Camp Nou brings back a lot of fond memories, and I hope we can take something positive out of the game.”