Spain - Primera Division
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Played
May 5, 2012 8:00 PM BST
Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes — Granada
Referee:‬ Carlos Clos‎
Attendance:‬ 22000‎
 
5′ Franco Jara
Cristiano Ronaldo 81′ (PG)
 
David Cortés 90+2′ (OG)

Granada – Real Madrid Preview: Resino’s side look to seal top-flight status

The Andalusians need two more points to guarantee their survival in the Primera Division as they prepare to welcome the newly-crowned champions to the Nuevo Los Carmenes

By Karthick Arvinth

More On :  Granada, Real Madrid CF, Granada vs Real Madrid CF
Mikel Rico; Siqueira; Diakhate, Real Madrid, Granada
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  PROBABLE LINEUPS

GRANADA

Cesar
Nyom, Lopez, B Gomez, Siqueira
Moises, M Rico
Jara, Martins, Benitez
Ighalo
REAL MADRID

Casillas
Arbeloa, Albiol, Varane, Marcelo
Granero, Sahin
Callejon, Kaka, Ronaldo
Higuain

Granada’s Inigo Lopez is a minor doubt for Saturday’s visit of Real Madrid after sustaining a muscle injury during training.

Fellow defender Diego Mainz is also struggling with a similar problem, while Roberto, Pape Diakhate, Fran Rico and Hassan Yebda are all out.

With the league title already in the bag, Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho is likely to give his fringe players some match experience, and there could be long-awaited recalls to the starting line-up for Nuri Sahin, Raphael Varane and Raul Albiol.

Fabio Coentrao and Mesut Ozil are both suspended, but Angel Di Maria returns from a one-match ban.

  DID YOU KNOW?
  • Granada have won five of their last eight home games in La Liga.
  • Only Racing Santander (25) and Real Zaragoza (32) have scored fewer goals in the Primera Division this term than Granada (34).
  • Fran Rico played for the Real Madrid B team between 2008-11, making over 50 league appearances.
  • Real Madrid are on a 21-match unbeaten run in La Liga (W18, D3).
  • Averaging 3.2 goals per game, Los Blancos boast the best attack in the Primera Division.
  • Cristiano Ronaldo (pictured right) is the first player to score at least 40 goals in successive seasons in Europe’s top five leagues

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Granada 0-8 Real Madrid CF
    18.99 %
  • Granada 0-5 Real Madrid CF
    12.28 %
  • Granada 0-4 Real Madrid CF
    10.28 %
Head to Head
Spain - Primera Division ‎(LIGA)‎ Feb 2, 2013 Granada 1 - Real Madrid CF 0
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Spain - Primera Division ‎(LIGA)‎ Sep 2, 2012 Real Madrid CF 3 - Granada 0
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Spain - Primera Division ‎(LIGA)‎ May 5, 2012 Granada 1 - Real Madrid CF 2
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Spain - Primera Division ‎(LIGA)‎ Jan 7, 2012 Real Madrid CF 5 - Granada 1
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Last Five Matches
Granada
May 18, 2013Granada 3 - Osasuna 0LIGA
May 13, 2013Real Sociedad 2 - Granada 2LIGA
May 4, 2013Granada 1 - Malaga 0LIGA
Apr 28, 2013Espanyol 0 - Granada 1LIGA
Apr 20, 2013Granada 1 - Valladolid 1LIGA
Real Madrid CF
May 17, 2013Real Madrid CF 1 - Atletico Madrid 2ESPC
May 11, 2013Espanyol 1 - Real Madrid CF 1LIGA
May 8, 2013Real Madrid CF 6 - Malaga 2LIGA
May 4, 2013Real Madrid CF 4 - Valladolid 3LIGA
Apr 30, 2013Real Madrid CF 2 - Borussia Dortmund 0UCL
Odds
Returns: Granada £170.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Returns: Draw £45.00 PaddyPower Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Returns: Real Madrid £100.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Team News
Available Squads
13Júlio CésarGoalkeeper
6Guilherme SiqueiraDefender
8Íñigo LópezDefender
9Borja GómezDefender
21David CortésDefender
11Dani BenítezMidfielder
14Mikel RicoMidfielder
17Carlos MartinsMidfielder
20Moisés HurtadoMidfielder
7IghaloStriker
11Franco JaraStriker
1José JuanGoalkeeper
2Allan NyomDefender
18Manuel LucenaDefender
75RomeroMidfielder
-AbelMidfielder
15UcheStriker
9Alex GeijoStriker
13AdánGoalkeeper
2Ricardo CarvalhoDefender
12MarceloDefender
18Raúl Albiol TortajadaDefender
19Raphaël VaraneDefender
8Nuri SahinMidfielder
8KakáMidfielder
14Esteban GraneroMidfielder
22Ángel Di MaríaMidfielder
7Cristiano RonaldoStriker
9Karim BenzemaStriker
-MejíasGoalkeeper
3PepeDefender
27NachoDefender
-Francisco RodríguezDefender
14Xabi AlonsoMidfielder
21CallejónStriker
-José Andrés Rodríguez GaitánMidfielder
20Gonzalo HiguaínStriker
Players to Watch
Ighalo
Ighalo
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 7
Games Goals YC RC
27 4 4 0
The Nigerian striker netted both goals in Granada’s vital victory over Espanyol and is in good form heading into this clash. The 22-year-old is the joint top scorer for the Andalusian side with six goals in 28 league appearances, level with Brazilian defender Guilherme Siqueira.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 7
Games Goals YC RC
34 34 9 0
The Portuguese ace will be desperate to outscore Lionel Messi and retain the ‘Pichichi’ crown, with the Barcelona forward currently leading 46 to 44 heading into the weekend. If he manages it, Ronaldo will become the first player since Hugo Sanchez in the 1980s to retain the top scorer title in La Liga.
Prediction

Granada secured a hugely significant victory over Espanyol in midweek and will be eyeing at least a point out of this as they vie to secure their stay in the Primera Division. The visitors looks set to rotate their squad, but they should still have too much quality for the Andalusians, who could confirm their top-flight status even in defeat should results go their way elsewhere.

Editor's Prediction
Granada 0
Real Madrid 2
Results
ALL MATCHES >>
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Lionel Messi Lionel Messi
Striker
Barcelona 		46 4
Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo
Striker
Real Madrid 		34 6
Radamel Falcao Radamel Falcao
Striker
Atl. Madrid 		28 8
Roberto Soldado Roberto Soldado
Striker
Valencia 		21 5
Negredo Negredo
Striker
Sevilla 		20 3