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Granada
Europa League
16th Finals
Thu , Feb 18 , 2021 21:00
2 - 0
Napoli
Granada
Napoli
2 - 0
European debutants Granada meet Napoli in the Europa League last-32 on Thursday.
Diego Martinez's side has been defying all odds for two seasons in the Spanish top-flight. From promotion to playing in Europe was a short trip during one season in which they showed great defensive composure and capability to win points almost exclusively with keeping their net empty. They managed to replicate that form in Europe, qualifying for the knockout stages by finishing second in their group behind PSV. Granada thrives as an underdog since getting promoted back to La Liga in 2019 and they will be glad to continue to play comfortably in the same role in the Europa League knockouts. They look at these matches as a bonus for everything they have done in the last two seasons. Winning 2-1 at PSV, plus sealing a double over Omonia and two goalless draws against PAOK, enabled them to advance to the knockout stage.
Their overall record of this campaign of six wins and two draws from nine European outings with just four goals conceded and never more than one in a game shows a stable defensive unit that is willing to do more in the next match, probably one of the biggest games in the club's history. In their last ten league and cup games, they have picked up just three wins, with three draws and four defeats during that spell. The last weekend, a 2-1 home defeat to leaders Atletico Madrid was hardly an unexpected result. They are eighth in the standings, well aware that they remain outsiders to qualify for another European adventure next term but also satisfied that they are far from the relegation battle. In the new league season, they lost their capability to save the net, 38 league goals conceded so far are second-worst in the La Liga, but their European stats show a completely different picture, so they will give their all to stop Napoli at home.
Diego Martinez is dealing with an injury crisis at Granada, as the club's Europa League top scorer Yangel Herrera (with four), Domingos Quina, Luis Milla, Neyder Lozano, and Maxime Gonalons are all under the question for this first-leg tie. Granada plays with the unusual formation with five at the back but it is expected the former Osasuna boss will select a 4-2-3-1 on Thursday with Kenedy on the right, ex-Udinese forward Darwin Machis on the left, and veterans Jorge Molina and Roberto Soldado probably competing for a place upfront.
Granada: Silva; Neva, Sanchez, Duarte, Diaz; Montoro, Milla; Kenedy, Soro, Machis; Molina
Gennaro Gattuso celebrated the victory over Juventus and assured the Napoli team was always behind him. The game was decided by a Lorenzo Insigne penalty and the saves of Alex Meret, who only came on after David Ospina sustained an injury in the warm-up. Chucky Lozano finished the game with muscular problems and at the final whistle, the players all clambered onto their coach to show support for under-fire Gattuso. “We showed great heart and determination, Juve deserved something more, but my team was under pressure and fought hard to keep the clean sheet,” the coach told media. “I never had doubts on this squad, otherwise I would’ve picked up my things and gone home. You can’t get anywhere without the faith of the players. I always felt they were ready to do what I asked and that’s what matters.”
Gattuso had a very tough time with injuries and viruses but reached knockout rounds in the Europa League, semi-finals of the Coppa Italia and they are still few points away from the Champions League places in the Serie A. “That’s football, when it rains, it pours. You can’t just cry over spilled milk, we just have to keep going and try to get some players back to full fitness. It’s been like that all year, I never had the strikers available. We conceded two incredible goals against Atalanta midweek, but we defended very well against Juventus. I want to single out Amir Rrahmani for working so hard despite getting very little playing time, and Nikola Maksimovic, whose contract is running down, yet he is giving his all. Mistakes can happen, we don’t have much time to work, but we try to do it with the defense always.”
This is the first time since 2011, under Walter Mazzarri, that Napoli has won back-to-back Serie A games against Juventus. Yet he was considered to be on the verge of dismissal for weeks with endless media speculation on his status. “Many things have been said, but I like to be judged for what I do. What I don’t like is when I am insulted on a personal level. I don’t allow that from anyone. You can think I’m a bad coach, fine, whatever, but I am prepared to chase you down and shout under your window one by one if it’s a lie,” continued Gattuso. “I don’t know where we’d be right now without COVID and injuries, but this is an anomalous season. You wake up in the morning and don’t know what’s going to happen next. Considering the squad and the form the players were in towards the end of last season, I think we could’ve had our say.”
Napoli is without star striker Dries Mertens and they also suffered a big blow when in-form winger Hirving Lozano injured his hamstring so he will be out for a month. Kalidou Koulibaly and Faouzi Ghoulam have been quarantining due to COVID-19, Kostas Manolas and Elseid Hysaj are ruled out with injuries. German midfielder Diego Demme has a muscle problem and injured goalkeeper David Ospina is also set to miss out on the return to continental action so there will be major adjustments regarding formation and players capable to take a part in this game.
Napoli: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Maksimovic, Rui; Lobotka, Bakoyoko; Politano, Elmas, Insigne; Petagna
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Granada’s season has two faces, one in La Liga, very different in Europe, and on the other side, Napoli had several ups and downs so it is very hard to give a proper answer regarding the outcome of this game. Both teams to score looks like the most reasonable betting option.
4-2-3-1
4-2-3-1
Granada
Napoli
| 03.10.2021. | Granada | VS | Sevilla | 1-0 |
W
|
| 27.09.2021. | Celta | VS | Granada | 1-0 |
L
|
| 23.09.2021. | Granada | VS | Real Sociedad | 2-3 |
L
|
| 20.09.2021. | Barcelona | VS | Granada | 1-1 |
D
|
| 13.09.2021. | Granada | VS | Betis | 1-2 |
L
|
| 29.08.2021. | Rayo Vallecano | VS | Granada | 4-0 |
L
|
| 21.08.2021. | Granada | VS | Valencia | 1-1 |
D
|
| 16.08.2021. | Villarreal | VS | Granada | 0-0 |
D
|
| 06.08.2021. | Granada | VS | Málaga | 3-1 |
W
|
| 02.08.2021. | Granada | VS | Linense | 3-0 |
W
|
| 03.10.2021. | Granada | VS | Sevilla | 1-0 |
W
|
| 23.09.2021. | Granada | VS | Real Sociedad | 2-3 |
L
|
| 13.09.2021. | Granada | VS | Betis | 1-2 |
L
|
| 21.08.2021. | Granada | VS | Valencia | 1-1 |
D
|
| 06.08.2021. | Granada | VS | Málaga | 3-1 |
W
|
| 02.08.2021. | Granada | VS | Linense | 3-0 |
W
|
| 28.07.2021. | Granada | VS | Alcorcón | 0-1 |
L
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| 27.07.2021. | Granada | VS | Espanyol | 1-1 |
D
|
| 19.07.2021. | Granada | VS | Bournemouth | 2-1 |
W
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| 23.05.2021. | Granada | VS | Getafe | 0-0 |
D
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| 27.09.2021. | Celta | VS | Granada | 1-0 |
L
|
| 20.09.2021. | Barcelona | VS | Granada | 1-1 |
D
|
| 29.08.2021. | Rayo Vallecano | VS | Granada | 4-0 |
L
|
| 16.08.2021. | Villarreal | VS | Granada | 0-0 |
D
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| 16.05.2021. | Alaves | VS | Granada | 4-2 |
L
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| 10.05.2021. | Betis | VS | Granada | 2-1 |
L
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| 29.04.2021. | Barcelona | VS | Granada | 1-2 |
W
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| 25.04.2021. | Sevilla | VS | Granada | 2-1 |
L
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| 15.04.2021. | Manchester United | VS | Granada | 2-0 |
L
|
| 11.04.2021. | Valladolid | VS | Granada | 1-2 |
W
|
| 03.10.2021. | Fiorentina | VS | Napoli | 1-2 |
W
|
| 30.09.2021. | Napoli | VS | Spartak Moskva | 2-3 |
L
|
| 26.09.2021. | Napoli | VS | Cagliari | 2-0 |
W
|
| 23.09.2021. | Sampdoria | VS | Napoli | 0-4 |
W
|
| 20.09.2021. | Udinese | VS | Napoli | 0-4 |
W
|
| 16.09.2021. | Leicester | VS | Napoli | 2-2 |
D
|
| 11.09.2021. | Napoli | VS | Juventus | 2-1 |
W
|
| 06.09.2021. | Napoli | VS | Benevento | 1-5 |
L
|
| 29.08.2021. | Genoa | VS | Napoli | 1-2 |
W
|
| 22.08.2021. | Napoli | VS | Venezia | 2-0 |
W
|
| 30.09.2021. | Napoli | VS | Spartak Moskva | 2-3 |
L
|
| 26.09.2021. | Napoli | VS | Cagliari | 2-0 |
W
|
| 11.09.2021. | Napoli | VS | Juventus | 2-1 |
W
|
| 06.09.2021. | Napoli | VS | Benevento | 1-5 |
L
|
| 22.08.2021. | Napoli | VS | Venezia | 2-0 |
W
|
| 14.08.2021. | Napoli | VS | Pescara | 4-0 |
W
|
| 08.08.2021. | Napoli | VS | Ascoli | 2-1 |
W
|
| 24.07.2021. | Napoli | VS | Pro Vercelli | 1-0 |
W
|
| 23.05.2021. | Napoli | VS | Verona | 1-1 |
D
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| 11.05.2021. | Napoli | VS | Udinese | 5-1 |
W
|
| 03.10.2021. | Fiorentina | VS | Napoli | 1-2 |
W
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| 23.09.2021. | Sampdoria | VS | Napoli | 0-4 |
W
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| 20.09.2021. | Udinese | VS | Napoli | 0-4 |
W
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| 16.09.2021. | Leicester | VS | Napoli | 2-2 |
D
|
| 29.08.2021. | Genoa | VS | Napoli | 1-2 |
W
|
| 04.08.2021. | Wisła Kraków | VS | Napoli | 1-2 |
W
|
| 31.07.2021. | Bayern Munich | VS | Napoli | 0-3 |
W
|
| 16.05.2021. | Fiorentina | VS | Napoli | 0-2 |
W
|
| 08.05.2021. | Spezia | VS | Napoli | 1-4 |
W
|
| 26.04.2021. | Torino | VS | Napoli | 0-2 |
W
|
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Daniel Garcia is originally from Basque Country, and as a kid who grew up just a few streets from Mendizorrotza Stadium, the choice of Deportivo Alavés as his favourite club is more than obvious. Because of his studies, he moved to Madrid where he graduated in Sports Journalism. Daniel plays football on the weekends, but that does not stop him from watching all La Liga matches. He believes that the outcome of a match can be predicted if all the parameters are analyzed well, including form of the players and weather conditions. Currently he is living in Belgrade, and is in love with a Serbian girl who works as a journalist at one of the famous Sport Channels in Serbia.
