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[monks data]
Granada logo
La Liga
Dec 5, 2015 at 5.15pm UK
 
Atletico Madrid logo

0-2

FT(HT: 0-1)
Godin (20'), Griezmann (77')

Preview: Granada vs. Atletico Madrid

Sports Mole previews the La Liga action as Granada welcome travelling Atletico Madrid to the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes.

Granada welcome travelling Atletico Madrid in La Liga on Saturday evening, as the hosts aim to continue their push away from the bottom of the standings following a tough start to the season.

As for Atletico, Diego Simeone's men have won their last three league fixtures and are seeking to keep the pressure up on leaders Barcelona.


Granada

Head coach Jose Ramon Sandoval of Granada CF shouts during the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and Granada CF at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 19, 2015© Getty Images

Granada come into this fixture as a club quickly gaining a reputation of being troublesome to get past this season.

Jose Ramon Sandoval's charges have lost just once in their last seven league fixtures, after managing to exit a torrid run of four straight defeats in La Liga.

Five of those seven games ended in draws, but Granada were able to pick up a promising 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao that will have boosted the club's confidence going into the colder months of the year.

Granada have recently shown that they are able to gather goals from all over the pitch when required, with the likes of Isaac Success and Jean-Sylvain Babin starting to find their feet again.

The club's difficult start to the season seems to finally be lifting and they now sit one place above the relegation zone, despite picking up just three points after their first six games this term.

Recent form: DDDLWD
Recent form (all competitions): DDLWDL


Atletico Madrid

Antoine Greizmann of Club Atletico de Madrid celebrates after scoring his team's opening goal during the La Liga match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Real CD Espanyol at Vicente Calderon Stadium on November 28, 2015 in Madrid, Spain.© Getty Images

Atletico's consistency since being beaten by Villarreal in September has seen Simeone's men become the nearest challengers to oppose Barcelona's title push during the winter period.

Having lost to a solitary goal two months ago, Madrid are now unbeaten in seven league fixtures after producing five wins and two draws in La Liga.

Simeone will doubtless be pleased that his players responded to that loss by bouncing back to claim a draw against Real Madrid, while also going on to concede just two goals in the six fixtures that followed on from that point against their fierce rivals.

One thing that the club's coach might want to improve upon, however, is Madrid's threat going forward in their last few fixtures. Despite claiming nine points from nine, Atleti have not appeared the most threatening of sides and have won each of their last three games with slender 1-0 results.

Atletico will be pleased after having played with a weakened side that won at plucky Reus Deportiu in the Copa del Rey, and the Colchoneros will now be eager to take another three points away at Granada to stay in the hunt with Barca come the end of the weekend.

Recent form: WWDWWW
Recent form (all competitions): DWWWWW


Team News

Atletico Madrid's midfielder Saul Niguez (L) vies with Reus Deportiu's midfielder Alex Colorado (R) during the Spanish Copa del Rey (King's Cup) football match CF Reus Deportiu vs Club Atletico de Madrid at the Estadi Municipal de Reus in Reus on December© Getty Images

Granada are to be without the suspended Javi Marquez, but Ruben Perez is likely to return in the middle after completing a ban.

Rene Krhin has been carrying an injury to his ankle of late, although he is expected to sneak into the hosts' starting XI on Saturday evening.

Atleti will have Gabi available again following his suspension, but the club are without the injured duo of Tiago and Jackson Martinez.

It is thought that Fernando Torres should be able to hold off competition from Luciano Vietto in order to start alongside Antoine Griezmann and Yannick Carrasco.

Granada possible starting lineup:
Fernandez; Lopes, Lomban, Babin, Biraghi; Rico, Krhin, Perez; Success, El-Arabi, Ibanez

Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:
Oblak; Juanfran, Godin, Gimenez, Luis; Níguez, Gabi, Koke; Carrasco, Torres, Griezmann


Head To Head

Madrid have enjoyed this fixture in recent times, given that Atletico have managed to produce five wins from their last six games against Granada. The teams last met during the La Liga campaign last term, where Granada were finally able to end a run of defeats by claiming a goalless draw at home in May 2015.


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We say: Granada 1-3 Atletico Madrid

Granada's La Liga status looked in grave danger after a poor start, but they have slowly begun to turn things around having picked up some favourable points over the past two months. That said, Madrid are on a positive winning streak and they will be keen to make their recent dominance over Granada count by producing a victory that would keep them hot on the heels of Barcelona at the top of the standings.



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Atletico Madrid's Argentinian coach Diego Simeone gestures during the Spanish league football match Club Atletico de Madrid vs RCD Espanyol at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid on November 28, 2015.
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Simeone pays tribute to Reus Deportiu
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona14111242142834
2Atletico MadridAtletico148512181329
3Real Madrid1283125111427
4Villarreal127322319424
5GironaGirona146352018221
6Mallorca146351312121
7Osasuna136341720-321
8Athletic Bilbao135531913620
9Real BetisBetis145541616020
10Real Sociedad135351110118
11Celta Vigo145362224-218
12Rayo Vallecano124441313016
13Sevilla134361218-615
14Leganes133551316-314
15Getafe142751011-113
16AlavesAlaves144191524-913
17Las PalmasLas Palmas143381825-712
18Valencia122461219-710
19Espanyol133191226-1410
20Real ValladolidValladolid142391027-179


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