Bosnia And Herzegovina
Burkina Faso
Czech Republic
Indonesia
South Korea

Preview: Granada vs. Valencia - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 19 August 2021, 15:33
Valencia will look to add a second straight win to start the La Liga campaign on Saturday, when they make the trip to take on Granada.

The hosts earned a point on the opening day with a goalless draw against Villarreal, while their visitors began with a 1-0 win over Getafe.

Match preview

After a seventh-placed finish in the 2019-20 campaign, Granada spent the majority of last season in a battle for similar spots.

Under the management of Diego Martinez, the Nazaries occupied seventh spot in February, but their form would take a dip in the final stretch.

A run of four straight defeats and a draw on the final day saw them eventually drop to ninth spot, missing out on European football as a result.

Now under the charge of Robert Moreno following Martinez's departure at the end of last season, they will be keen to bounce back this year and fight their way back into contention for continental qualification, but they faced a tough test to start as they made the trip to take on Europa League champions Villarreal.

Despite being dominated for the majority of the encounter, Granada stood strong to pick up a point in a goalless draw, with Gerard Moreno being denied by a goal-line clearance as the visitors kept a commendable clean sheet.

In their first home league game of the season, they will look to build on that positive start with what would be an impressive home victory.

They take on a Valencia side who got off to a winning start last week, and will aim for a stronger campaign after a worrying season last time around.

Following the sales of several key players in line with ongoing financial struggles, Valencia had a difficult campaign last season, eventually finishing in 13th spot after a poor run under Javi Gracia in the early stages of the year.

Following the appointment of Jose Bordalas in May, they will hope for a new start and a more consistent campaign, and they began in a positive manner last Friday.

Los Murcielagos were fighting an uphill battle from the start as Hugo Guillamon was sent off after just three minutes, but they took an early lead through Carlos Soler nonetheless, and stood strong to see out a 1-0 victory.

Now facing a tough test on their travels, Bordalas's men will hope to make it two wins from two in their bid to establish themselves in the top half this season.

Granada La Liga form:

Valencia La Liga form:

Team News

Granada centre-back Neyder Lozano is ruled out with a fractured tibia, meaning he will be sidelined for an extended period of time.

Yan Eteki is also a doubt, having missed out on the season opener, and Monchu, Maxime Gonalons and Luis Milla should again line up in the midfield in his absence.

The line will be led by Colombian forward Luis Suarez, who earned a move after hitting 19 league goals in the 2019-20 season for Real Zaragoza in the Spanish second tier.

Valencia will be without midfielder Hugo Guillamon, who will serve a suspension following his red card against Getafe.

Their line will be led by the threatening duo of Goncalo Guedes and Maxi Gomez, supported by the attacking threat of wingers Carlos Soler and Denis Cheryshev.

Twenty-year-old Giorgi Mamardashvili caught eyes with an impressive performance between the sticks last week, as he unexpectedly came into the side due to the injuries to Jasper Cillesen and Jaume Domenech, making several key saves to grind a clean sheet out.

Granada possible starting lineup:

Escandell; Foulquier, Duarte, Sanchez, Neva; Gonalons, Monchu, Milla; Puertas, Suarez, Machis

Valencia possible starting lineup:

Mamardashvili; Correia, Gabriel, Alderete, Gaya; Cheryshev, Racic, Wass, Soler; Gomez, Guedes

We say: Granada 1-1 Valencia

Both sides were particularly impressive on the opening day, and will both come into Saturday's game with quiet confidence.

We cannot quite split them and predict a low-scoring draw between two teams who have shown themselves to be very solid and disciplined at the back.

Show more

Top News

10 February 2025 talksport.com The Premier League returns this week after the conclusion of the FA Cup fourth round, and talkSPORT has all the latest. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea's Joao Felix reportedly offered his services back to Barcelona before being loaned to AC Milan for the second half of the season. 10 February 2025 talksport.com Ange Postecoglou has declared there is an agenda against him and his Tottenham side following their latest setback. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid centre-back Raul Asencio has been the subject of a €40m (£33.3m) offer from Premier League upstarts Nottingham Forest, according to a report. 10 February 2025 talksport.com Marcus Rashford received a message of support from another Manchester United exile following his Aston Villa debut. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City winger Savinho is already fulfilling some of his "massive potential" at the Etihad Stadium and rarely makes the wrong decision in the final third, according to ex-Citizens winger Shaun-Wright Phillips. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk All transfer business is done and dusted for this season, but that doesn't stop clubs from preparing ahead for next season. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Trabzonspor vs. Eyupspor (Monday, 5.00pm) 2024-25 Turkish Super Lig surprise package Eyupspor will look to strengthen their grip on fourth place when they travel to face a revitalised Trabzonspor at Papara Park on Monday. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have been forced to abandon their pursuit of defender Nuno Mendes and look elsewhere after he signed a contract extension with Paris Saint-Germain. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Ange Postecoglou refused to comment on his future in the aftermath of his side's 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Sunday evening. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have been boosted in their pursuit of Matheus Cunha as his new Wolverhampton Wanderers contract reportedly contains a release clause. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk League One side Exeter City will be looking to cause a giant killing in the FA Cup fourth round when the host Nottingham Forest at St James Park on Tuesday. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Fermin Lopez both scored and was sent off in Barcelona's 4-1 victory over Sevilla in La Liga on Sunday night, with Hansi Flick's side pulling themselves back into the title race. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Frank Lampard's Coventry City will hope to bounce back from FA Cup disappointment when they host Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday in the Championship at the Coventry Arena. 9 February 2025 talksport.com Jamie O'Hara believes Ange Postecoglou's time at Tottenham has run its course. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has delivered an update on Joe Gomez's condition after the defender was taken off injured in Sunday's 1-0 FA Cup loss to Plymouth Argyle. 9 February 2025 talksport.com Jose Mourinho not-so subtly took aim at Galatasaray after their opponents stunningly walked off the pitch following a controversial penalty. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Aston Villa survived a late scare to march into the fifth round of the FA Cup as they eliminated Tottenham Hotspur with a 2-1 victory at Villa Park on Sunday evening. 9 February 2025 talksport.com An unruly fan almost incurred the wrath of Dion Dublin during the half-time break of Aston Villa's 2-1 win over Tottenham in the FA Cup. 9 February 2025 talksport.com Rangers have sunk to an unthinkable low as a botched stoppage time penalty sealed a 1-0 loss to Queen's Park at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen has fired a warning shot to Manchester City and Real Madrid over their pursuits of Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Mansfield Town will be aiming to avoid a sixth straight defeat in League One when they continue their campaign with a trip to Leyton Orient on Tuesday night. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Rangers suffered an unwanted club first after be knocked out in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup by second-tier side Queen's Park, losing 1-0 at Ibrox on Sunday. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly opened talks over a deal to sign Borussia Dortmund attacker Jamie Gittens, whom the German giants want a staggering £83m for. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Looking to turn their fortunes around, struggling Tranmere Rovers welcome Fleetwood Town for their rescheduled matchday 16 League Two fixture this Tuesday. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Stuttering league leaders Walsall will aim to rediscover their spark when they welcome Gillingham for their rescheduled matchday 16 encounter in League Two. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong could reportedly perform a U-turn on his future and sign a new contract with the Blaugrana amid links with Liverpool. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have joined Chelsea, Manchester City and Leeds United in an unwanted FA Cup club with their shock 1-0 loss to Plymouth Argyle in the fourth round. 9 February 2025 talksport.com Nikola Katic put in a monster man-of-the-match performance to dump out Liverpool in the FA Cup. 9 February 2025 talksport.com Liverpool's hopes of winning a historic quadruple were shattered by a shock defeat to Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup.
Something went wrong! Don't hesitate to let us know if you need any help.