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Atletico Madrid vs. Granada: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
April 16, 2016
Atletico Madrid’s feet may have just about touched the floor by the time they entertain Granada at the Vicente Calderon on Sunday evening.
It was there on Wednesday night that Diego Simeone’s side swatted aside holders Barcelona to advance to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, with Antoine Griezmann’s double giving them a great chance to go one better than two years ago and actually win the competition this time around.
And the hunting down of Barca doesn’t stop in Europe, either.
With the suddenly struggling Catalan giants not in action until later on Sunday, Atleti would go level on points with Luis Enrique’s team should they beat a Granada side just two points and one place above the relegation zone.
Winless in their last five and having won only three of their last 16, Jose Gonzalez’s side won’t be relishing this match, which Atletico fans will perhaps just see as an extension of Wednesday night’s celebrations.
Date: Sunday, April 17
Time: 5.15 p.m. BST / 12.15 p.m. ET
Venue: Estadio Vicente Calderon, Madrid
TV Info: Sky Sports
Live Stream: Sky Sports
Last 6 Results
Atletico Madrid
Drew 0-0 vs. PSV Eindhoven (won 8-7 on penalties)
Lost 2-1 vs, Sporting Gijon
Won 5-1 vs. Real Betis
Lost 2-1 vs. Barcelona
Won 3-1 vs. Espanyol
Won 2-0 vs. Barcelona
Granada
Won 2-0 vs. Sporting Gijon
Lost 2-0 vs. Real Betis
Drew 1-1 vs. Espanyol
Drew 2-2 vs. Rayo Vallecano
Drew 1-1 vs. Athletic Bilbao
Drew 0-0 vs. Malaga
Team News
Atletico Madrid
Simeone would have been checking on the health of his players in the immediate aftermath of the Barcelona victory, but one man he won’t need to worry about will be Fernando Torres, who was suspended for the second leg of the Champions League tie.
The Atletico icon should return to the side, and with a midweek La Liga match at Athletic Bilbao to prepare for, Simeone is also likely to shuffle some more members of his pack.
Filipe Luis is suspended, joining Tiago, Oliver Torres and Jose Gimenez on the sidelines, meaning that Lucas Hernandez could switch to left-back and the fit-again Stefan Savic could come into the side in the centre.
Possible XI: Oblak, Juanfran, Godin, Savic, Lucas, Gabi, Saul, Koke, Ferreira-Carrasco, Griezmann, Torres.
Granada
Four successive draws aren’t ideal but at least they are pulling Granada away from the relegation zone.
Coach Jose Gonzalez’s biggest problem here is that he’ll be missing Nigerian forward Isaac Success through suspension after he picked up a booking in the closing stages of last weekend’s goalless draw at home to Malaga, placing extra responsibility onto the shoulders of Moroccan top scorer Youssef El-Arabi.
The on-loan Valencia winger Robert Ibanez stands by to replace Success in the starting line-up, although Venezuelan forward Abalberto Penaranda is another option for Gonzalez.
Possible XI: Fernandez, Miguel Lopes, Babin, Costa, Biraghi, Perez, Doucoure, Ibanez, Rochina, Cuenca, El-Arabi.
Key Players
Atletico Madrid: Saul Niguez
Seemingly maturing by the game and after producing a fantastic assist for Antoine Griezmann in the Champions League victory over Barcelona, it probably isn’t 100 percent guaranteed that midfielder Saul Niguez will start this match such is his growing importance to Simeone.
He’s been superb whenever he’s been called upon this season, though, operating in a variety of roles and excelling in nearly all of them.
He’s making a strong case for late inclusion in Spain’s Euro 2016 squad.
Granada: Ruben Rochina
Familiar to English audiences for fleeting displays for Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League and then the Championship between 2011 and 2014, the creative Ruben Rochina has probably never quite hit the heights that he seemed capable of during his early days with Barcelona’s B team.
Here, he’ll need to get on the ball and relieve what is sure to be mounting pressure on his team, with the service up to El-Arabi crucial if Granada are to get anything from the game.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Atletico Madrid: 1-4
Granada: 16-1
Draw: 19-4