Seeking to avoid a fourth successive loss in La Liga, Granada play host to Real Betis at the Estadio Los Carmenes on Thursday night.
While the hosts are languishing in 19th place after six matches, the visitors find themselves sitting in 10th after an inconsistent start to the new campaign.
Match preview
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Granada's disappointing start to the new season continued last weekend when they suffered a 1-0 defeat at Las Palmas despite playing the final 32 minutes with an extra man.
The Nazaries were hoping to take control of the contest following the dismissal of Las Palmas defender Mika Marmol, but the hosts instead snatched all three points at the death courtesy of a 92nd-minute winner from Kirian Rodriguez.
The pressure is beginning to mount on Paco Lopez as his side have lost five of their opening six La Liga matches and find themselves sitting inside the relegation zone, and the 56-year-old can ill-afford further setbacks in the next two games against Real Betis and basement club Almeria.
Defensive frailties have been a major factor behind Granada's poor start to the campaign as they have conceded a league-high 17 goals in six games, with eight of those goals shipped in three home fixtures.
Granada will welcome a return to the Estadio Los Carmenes on Thursday, though, as they have won two of their last three home meetings with Real Betis, while their solitary top-flight win this season was on home soil – a 3-2 success over Mallorca at the end of August.
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Real Betis have experienced plenty of ups and downs in the early stages of this season, although they have recently endured more of the latter after winning just one of their last five matches in all competitions.
After beating Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in La Liga at the beginning of this month, Betis suffered a heavy 5-0 league loss at Barcelona and a slender 1-0 defeat to Rangers in their Europa League group-stage opener, before returning to La Liga action and playing out a 1-1 draw with Cadiz last weekend.
Los Verdiblancos headed into half time behind after Chris Ramos broke the deadlock for the visitors four minutes before the break, but Manuel Pellegrini's men restored parity in impressive fashion on the hour mark when Guido Rodriguez's acrobatic effort flew into the bottom corner to rescue a point for the hosts.
Betis have now won two, drawn two and lost two of their first six La Liga matches, and Pellegrini is tasked with guiding his side on a positive run of form in the coming weeks, with five of their next six top-flight fixtures against teams who currently sit inside the bottom half of the table.
Los Verdiblancos enter Thursday's contest having lost each of their last three away games, conceding 10 goals in the process, but they claimed all three points in their last visit to the Estadio Los Carmenes when they won 2-1 against Granada in September 2021 thanks to goals from Rodri and Sergio Canales.
Team News
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Granada's Miguel Rubio has missed the last two games through injury and is a major doubt for Thursday, while fellow defender Jesus Vallejo has been sidelined for the last four matches and is not expected to feature against Betis.
Gonzalo Villar will be pushing to start in centre-midfield having begun as a substitute in five of Granada's opening six league games this term, while former Real Madrid winger Jose Callejon – who was dropped to the bench last time out – will be hoping to force his way back into the first XI at the expense of either Oscar Melendo or Antonio Puertas.
Despite failing to find the net last weekend, attacking duo Lucas Boye and Myrto Uzuni are expected to retain their places up front, with Famara Diedhiou beginning as a substitute once again.
As for Real Betis, they are still having to cope without Nabil Fekir (ACL), William Carvalho (calf), Rui Silva (muscle) and Youssouf Sabaly (thigh) due to injury, although the latter three could be in a position to return at some stage next month.
Pellegrini has rotated Juan Miranda and Abner at left-back in the early stages of this season, so the latter could be in line to start at the expense of the former on Thursday, joining Hector Bellerin, German Pezzella and Marc Bartra in the back four.
Borja Iglesias will continue to push William Jose for a start up front, while Rodri, Isco and Ayoze Perez are all likely to continue in advanced midfield positions in front of deep-lying duo Rodriguez and Marc Roca.
Granada possible starting lineup:
Fernandez; Sanchez, Diaz, Miquel, Neva; Callejon, Gumbau, Villar, Puertas; Boye, Uzuni
Real Betis possible starting lineup:
Bravo; Bellerin, Bartra, Pezzella, Abner; Rodriguez, Roca; Rodri, Isco, Perez; Willian Jose
We say: Granada 1-3 Real Betis
The managers of both teams will be seeking a response on Thursday following a difficult spell of form, with a greater level of pressure mounting on Granada to turn their fortunes around and escape the drop zone.
However, Real Betis will be considered as the favourites here and they should have too much quality in the final third for a Granada side who have shown signs of weakness at the back throughout the early stages of this season.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Oliver Thomas
