Sanchez: Winless Granada can stun Barcelona

Granada teenager Jorge Sanchez said his winless side can beat La Liga powerhouses Barcelona when they clash on Saturday.

The Catalan club edged a thrilling encounter when the sides met in March, as Lionel Messi netted a stunning hat-trick to give Barca a 5-3 victory, but young goalkeeper Sanchez believes anything is possible as his side go into the league game at the Nou Camp with the underdog tag in tow – despite being winless through four matches this term.

He told Marca: “It is possible to win, although it’s clear that this is complicated. Nobody can take the excitement away from us. We have nothing to lose.”

Sanchez has made giant strides at Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes this term, progressing from a youth player on the fringes of the side to Granada’s current second-choice stopper, and the 19-year-old has admitted it will be a dream fulfilled to be part of Saturday’s squad.

“I’ve thought about this 800 times,” he said.

“I have been to watch football at several Primera grounds, but never in Barcelona. That the first time is to sit on the bench is a dream.”

Sanchez currently commands a wage of just 100 euros per month – a far cry from the six-figure salaries earned by some of Granada’s upcoming opponents – but the youngster insists he is simply counting his blessings to be able to be a part of such high-calibre fixtures.

“My salary is unimportant,” he said.

“A few months ago I could not have hoped for this. Not even by paying would I be able to be in a situation like that. Now I have no need to change my contract, but if the club wants to negotiate a new one I would be happy.”