Granada vs Villarreal

Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes is the venue as Granada and Villarreal go head-to-head in a bottom-half La Liga showdown.

Not even the most pessimistic Granada fans could’ve expected to see their side begin Matchday 11 with just one win and six points to their name (W1, D3, L6), but that’s a harsh reality. After three consecutive scoring draws, the ‘Nazaries’ slipped to a 2-0 defeat at Osasuna in the previous round, extending their winless league run to seven matches (D3, L4). Despite their underwhelming second-worst ten-game start to a new La Liga campaign, Paco Lopez’s men trail 17th-placed Deportivo Alaves by only three points. Lopez’s attacking-minded football has seen Granda tally 15 La Liga goals this season, more than any other side outside the top six at the start of this round. Yet their defensive frailties demand immediate attention, with only Almeria (31) conceding more than Granda (25) thus far.

On the other hand, visiting Villarreal cannot catch a break this season, as they start this round only three points clear of the drop zone amid the club’s worst ten-game start to a new La Liga season (W2, D3, L5). Since a 2-1 home win over rock-bottom Almeria in mid-September, the visitors have gone winless in five consecutive league matches (D3, L2), casting doubt on Pacheta’s credentials. The new Villarreal manager is already under heavy scrutiny after his side failed to win back-to-back league encounters against promoted sides (D1, L1), most recently drawing 1-1 at home against Deportivo Alaves. Playing on the road is unlikely to boost their bid to get back on track, considering they lament a dreadful 29% win ratio as pre-match away favorites since the start of 2022/23 (W4, D4, L6).