Granada vs. Atletico Madrid: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
The come-from-behind Copa Del Rey victory over Segunda B club Reus Deportiu in midweek extended Atletico Madrid’s winning streak to 11 matches, and they’ve now won their last five in a row.
Diego Simeone’s side have still only scored more than two goals once in that 11-game run, but the Argentinian coach won’t be concerned about that as his side’s solidity has taken them to second in the Liga table, four points behind leaders Barcelona going into the weekend.
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The next challenge comes in the form of a Granada side hovering just above the relegation zone and fresh from the humiliation of being dumped out of the cup by lower-league Leganes on Tuesday.
Coach Jose Ramon Sandoval will be desperate for his side to put on a good show on Saturday evening, but Simeone will merely see this as another opportunity to claim three points.
Date: Saturday, December 5
Time: 5.15 p.m. GMT / 12.15 p.m. ET
Venue: Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes, Granada
TV Info: Sky Sports
Live Stream: Sky Sports
Last 6 Results
Granada
Drew 1-1 vs. Real Betis (Home)
Drew 1-1 vs. Espanyol (Away)
Lost 2-1 vs. Rayo Vallecano (Away)
Won 2-0 vs. Athletic Bilbao (Home)
Drew 2-2 vs. Malaga (Away)
Lost 2-1 vs Leganes (Away)
Atletico Madrid
Drew 0-0 vs. Astana (Away)
Won 1-0 vs. Sporting Gijon (Home)
Won 1-0 vs. Real Betis (Away)
Won 2-0 vs. Galatasaray (Home)
Won 1-0 vs. Espanyol (Home)
Won 2-1 vs. Reus Deportiu (Away)
Team News
Granada
Sandoval’s selection is likely to look more like the team which scored twice in the final seven minutes to draw with Malaga last weekend rather than the team which lost at Leganes, meaning that the Nigerian duo Isaac Success and Uche Agbo should return.
Both of the goals in that 2-2 draw were scored by substitutes—Youssef El-Arabi and former Blackburn Rovers man Ruben Rochina—and the former could earn a start after remaining on the bench throughout the defeat in midweek.
Slovenia international midfielder and former Inter Milan man Rene Krhin is still out injured.
Possible Lineup: Fernandez, Miguel Lopes, Babin, Lomban, Biraghi, Fran Rico, Javi Marquez, Agbo, Success, El-Arabi, Penaranda.
Atletico Madrid
There were unsurprisingly wholesale changes to the Atletico team which won at Reus Deportiu, with Luciano Vietto and Saul grabbing the goals as the visitors came from behind to win.
Tiago and Jackson Martinez are still going to be unavailable to Simeone for the trip to Andalusia in southern Spain, with the side likely to look similar to the one which beat Espanyol 1-0 in the league last weekend thanks to an early Antoine Griezmann goal.
Possible Lineup: Oblak, Juanfran, Gimenez, Godin, Filipe Luis, Saul, Koke, Oliver Torres, Ferreira-Carrasco, Fernando Torres, Griezmann.
Key Players
Granada: Isaac Success
The brilliantly named Nigerian forward Isaac Success was part of his country’s squad which won the Under-17 World Cup in 2013, and now aged 19, he is seen as one of his country’s bright young hopes for the future alongside the Manchester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho.
Success has scored three goals so far this season, with those strikes helping his side to pick up seven of their 11 points in La Liga this season.
If Granada are to take anything from this game, then Success will be vital.
Atletico Madrid: Oliver Torres
One of the best things about Atletico’s season so far, Oliver Torres is making a late run for inclusion in Spain’s Euro 2016 squad as he continues to impress.
Seemingly earmarked for a prominent role in Simeone’s team from a very early age, it is to be hoped that Torres goes on to become a fixture at the club for many years to come. His passing prowess and ability on the ball will be crucial in potentially tight games such as this.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Granada – 11/2
Atletico Madrid – 5/9
Draw – 14/5
