Spain - Primera Division
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Played
February 2, 2013 9:00 PM GMT
Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes — Granada
Referee:‬ Antonio Mateu‎
Attendance:‬ 22000‎
 
22′ (OG) Cristiano Ronaldo
 

Granada-Real Madrid Preview: Mourinho's side look to close gap on Atletico Madrid

Los Merengues can get within a point of their city rivals with victory over the struggling Andalusian outfit, who sacked coach Juan Antonio Anquela on Wednesday

By Karthick Arvinth

More On :  Granada, Real Madrid CF, Granada vs Real Madrid CF
Raphael Varane | Real Madrid v Barcelona | Clásico
Getty Images
  PROBABLE LINEUPS

GRANADA

Roberto
Nyom, Lopez, Mainz, Siqueira
Iriney, M Rico
El-Arabi, Brahimi, Buonanotte
Ighalo
REAL MADRID

Lopez
Arbeloa, Varane, Ramos, Coentrao
Khedira, Alonso
Di Maria, Modric, Ronaldo
Benzema

New Granada boss Lucas Alcaraz could hand a debut to Diego Buonanotte in Saturday's Primera Division encounter against Real Madrid at Los Carmenes.

Youssef El-Arabi is available after returning from Africa Cup of Nations duty, but fellow striker Fabian Orellana has been loaned out to Celta Vigo.

Winger Dani Benitez is still sidelined with a hamstring injury while defender Pape Diakhate is suspended.

Sergio Ramos, Fabio Coentrao and Angel Di Maria all return for Madrid after the trio missed the 1-1 Copa del Rey draw against Barcelona through suspension.

Iker Casillas (hand) and Pepe (ankle) remain out, while Mesut Ozil serves a one-match ban for accumulating five yellow cards.

  DID YOU KNOW?
  • Granada have won just two of their last eight Liga matches (W2, D3, L3).
  • The Andalusian side have lost their last three encounters against Real Madrid by an aggregate score of 10-2.
  • Granada have scored just 18 goals in their 21 Liga matches this season.
  • Real Madrid have won just one of their last five away games in all competitions (W1, D2, L2).
  • With just 20 goals conceded this term, Los Blancos boast the second best defensive record in La Liga.
  • Alvaro Arbeloa (pictured, right) played his 150th game for Madrid in the 1-1 Copa del Rey draw against Barcelona.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Granada 0-4 Real Madrid CF
    14.6 %
  • Granada 0-5 Real Madrid CF
    9.96 %
  • Granada 0-3 Real Madrid CF
    8.8 %
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 £90.00 Coral Sign up today with Coral and get a £50 FREE bet - no strings attached!
Returns: Draw £75.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: Real Madrid £2510.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Team News
Available Squads
-ToñoGoalkeeper
2Allan NyomDefender
5MainzDefender
6Guilherme SiqueiraDefender
8Íñigo LópezDefender
14Mikel RicoMidfielder
45RecioMidfielder
27NolitoMidfielder
19Carlos ArandaStriker
-Gabriel TorjeMidfielder
7IghaloStriker
13RobertoGoalkeeper
-Brayam AnguloDefender
9Borja GómezDefender
20Yacine BrahimiMidfielder
-Diego BuonanotteMidfielder
-Juanma OrtizMidfielder
-IrineyMidfielder
13Diego López RodríguezGoalkeeper
19Raphaël VaraneDefender
4Sergio RamosDefender
15Fabio CoentraoDefender
17ArbeloaDefender
6Sami KhediraMidfielder
14Xabi AlonsoMidfielder
16Luka ModricMidfielder
22Ángel Di MaríaMidfielder
7Cristiano RonaldoStriker
20Gonzalo HiguaínStriker
13AdánGoalkeeper
2Ricardo CarvalhoDefender
12MarceloDefender
18Raúl Albiol TortajadaDefender
5Michael EssienMidfielder
21CallejónStriker
9Karim BenzemaStriker
Players to Watch
Diego Buonanotte
Diego Buonanotte
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 0
Games Goals YC RC
14 1 3 0
The Argentine playmaker made the switch to Granada after making just 18 appearances for previous club Malaga in over an year and a half. Buonanotte will want to impress on his debut and hold down a regular starting berth at Los Carmenes.
Raphaël Varane
Raphaël Varane
Position: Defender
Squad Number: 19
Games Goals YC RC
15 0 0 0
The Frenchman was outstanding against Barcelona as he controlled the backline throughout, belying his 19 years of age. Varane's performance in Wednesday's Clasico earned rave reviews from the world media and it also caught the eye of France boss Didier Deschamps, who called up the teenager to the senior squad for only the second time on Thursday.
Prediction
Real have been in desperate form away from home recently but they should comfortably beat Granada, who will be keen to improve their organisation and discipline in Alcaraz's first game in charge.
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