Granada vs Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid will be desperate to get back to winning ways in La Liga when they take on bottom-half Granada at the Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes.

Since a brace of multi-goal defeats to Espanyol and Real Madrid in October, Granada have gone from strength to strength in La Liga, avoiding defeat in four matches on the trot in the competition (W2, D2). They thumped Mallorca 4-1 at home last time out to put themselves in the spot to win back-to-back La Liga matches for the first time this season. However, since earning their first top-flight promotion in the 21st century back in the 2011/12 season, the ‘Nazaries’ have failed to win any of their eight league meetings with Atletico Madrid at home (D3, L5). They have drawn a blank five times during that eight-game sequence while netting precisely one goal in the other three. That said, Roberto Moreno’s men have scored 2+ goals in their last two home league outings.

In the meantime, a 2-1 defeat away to Sevilla at the weekend made it three La Liga losses in a row as Atletico Madrid are enduring their worst period under the stewardship of Diego Simeone. With La Liga pacesetters Real Madrid already 14 points above them, Atletico’s hopes of claiming back-to-back top-flight crowns for the first time in 71 years already look far-fetched. The reigning Spanish champions have racked up just one victory across their last five La Liga away matches (D2, L2), conceding 2+ goals four times in the process. Indeed, despite carrying a reputation as one of Europe’s best defensive teams, ‘Los Colchoneros’ have already conceded 14 away league goals this season, at an average of 1.55 per game. Meanwhile, 12 of Atletico’s 16 La Liga goals scored on the road this season have come in the second half of play, highlighting the potential for plenty of post-break action.