Granada travel to San Sabastian this Friday to face Real Sociedad at the Reale Seguros Stadium.
The hosts are in the running for a top-seven finish with 51 points from 34 league games. They sit in 7th place one point above Valencia in 8th place. Their form so far since the league’s restart has seen them stutter badly, with just one win in seven games (D2, L4). With the rest of the team beneath them in the table quietly accumulating points, Paco Lopez will know that this match is a must-win if Europe will be a reality next season.
Meanwhile, Granada are outsiders for a top-seven finish with 47 points in the bag for them so far this term. However, their form in the last five league games has made the task of a European finish very difficult as they have taken only four points from the last available 15. A win here could see them climb to 9th position and go one point behind their visitors.
Team News
As many as seven players are missing for Paco Lopez heading into this tie while Diego Martinez is missing as many as five of his own players to varying injuries.
Head to head
Sociedad have won five on the bounce against Granada with three clean sheets in that period. The last two ended 2:1 in favor of the hosts, though.
Team Form
Real Sociedad last five games in all competitions: DWLLL
Granada last five games in all competitions: DWLDL
Betting Preview
The battle of Europa league hopefuls will be intriguing this Friday as the two teams share identical form heading into this tie. With one win apiece from the last five games, each side has an opportunity to record their second in five games.
Real Sociedad’s last outing saw them pick up one point and marked the first time they scored first since the league’s restart.
Meanwhile, their last four games have featured a first-half opener while they have failed to score first at home since the restart.
Overall, they have failed to score in just one of their home matches, while the majority (79%) of their home games have featured under 3.5 goals.
Granada meanwhile have failed to score in seven of the 17 matches they have played at home this season.
They, however remain unbeaten in five away games in the league (W2, D3) with a 2:2 draw with Betis, the only game that featured over 3.5 goals in that period.
In that period, they scored the opener by the 30th minute in three of those games, winning two and drawing one of the three games.
The visitors will fancy scoring the first goal in this game as they are yet to lose an away league game where they have scored first (W4, D1).
Overall, 95% of Granada’s away games this season have featured fewer than 3.5 goals.
Suggested Bets
Both teams to score/Yes @ 10/11
Under 3.5 Goals @ 1/3
Granada to win the first half/Draw second half@ 18/1
