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

Two teams in the relegation mix at a vital stage of the campaign will lock horns in La Liga on Saturday afternoon, as Granada welcome Elche to Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes.

Granada are currently 17th in the table, just one point clear of the relegation zone, while Elche occupy 14th, five points ahead of the bottom three in Spain's top flight.

Match preview

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Granada have not been victorious in Spain's top flight since beating Atletico Madrid on December 22, picking up just three points from their last nine matches, which is a real concern at the business end of the season.

Robert Moreno was dismissed as head coach following the 3-1 defeat at Valencia last weekend, with Ruben Torrecilla now in charge of the first team on a caretaker basis.

Torrecilla, who had been the head coach of Granada's second team, will have his first taste of managing in the top flight this weekend, with the club desperately attempting to stay outside of the bottom three.

A record of five wins, 10 draws and 12 defeats from 27 matches has brought them 25 points, which is only enough for 17th position, just one point clear of 18th-placed Cadiz, while Alaves in 19th are only three points behind, with all three sides on the same number of games.

Granada recorded a 2-1 victory in the corresponding match between the two sides last term, but the points were shared in a goalless draw in the reverse contest in January.

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Elche, meanwhile, will enter this weekend's contest off the back of a 2-1 defeat to Barcelona last weekend; Fidel sent the hosts ahead at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, only for Ferran Torres and Memphis Depay to register for the Catalan side in the final 30 minutes.

Francisco's side are currently 14th in the table, just five points clear of the bottom three, while they have now lost three of their last four in the league, including a 3-0 defeat at Levante on February 25.

Elche have lost nine of their 14 away league matches this season, but they will be taking on a Granada side with one of the poorer home records in Spain's top flight in 2021-22.

Los Franjiverdes finished 17th in La Liga last term on their return to this level, just two points clear of the relegation zone, but the club have shown improvement this season.

Elche are certainly in danger of being pulled into the relegation battle at a vital stage of the season, though, and another poor result this weekend would leave them looking over their shoulder.

Team News

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Granada will be able to recall Domingos Duarte for this month following a suspension, but Maxime Gonalons and Santiago Arias remain on the sidelines with hamstring problems.

Caretaker head coach Torrecilla is expected to make changes from the side that started at Valencia, with Darwin Machis and Ruben Rochina both likely to come into the side.

Jorge Molina and Carlos Bacca are also options for change in the final third of the field, but Luis Suarez could again lead the line for the relegation-threatened side.

As for Elche, Gerard Gumbau is available once again following a suspension, and the midfielder is expected to return to the starting XI this weekend.

Javier Pastore will now serve a suspension of his own, though, while Pedro Bigas and Helibelton Palacios are on the sidelines through injury.

Elche performed impressively against Barcelona for long spells, so there could be just one change from the side that started against the Catalan side, with the returning Gumbau coming in for Raul Guti.

Granada possible starting lineup:

Maximiano; Duarte, Sanchez, Torrente, Neva; Machis, Milla, Rochina, Montoro, Uzuni; Suarez

Elche possible starting lineup:

Badia; Barragan, Roco, Gonzalez, Mojica; Morente, Gumbau, Mascarell, Fidel; Boye, Milla

We say: Granada 0-0 Elche

The two teams played out a goalless draw in the reverse match back in January, and we can see the same scoreline in this contest. Neither side will enter the fixture in a confident mood, and a tight and cagey affair on Saturday afternoon could end with the points being shared.