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Real will take on Granada in their 36th match of the La Liga league season. Los Blancos could go first in the table with a win, depending upon the results of other matches. They are currently third with 75 points, albeit having played one match less than second-placed Barcelona.
With the La Liga going down to the wire, it now becomes a case of who wants it the most. Is it Atletico Madrid who are looking to end a long trophy drought by beating both their rivals to the crown? Or Barcelona after their mid-season resurgence? Or rather Real Madrid, who won the league in similar circumstances last season?
With Barcelona fluffing their lines once more, the onus is now on Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid to take advantage in the LaLiga title race. The Rojiblancos are the current favorites to win the competition, given that they are top of the table with three matches to go. However, should they fail to win any of their remaining matches, that would allow Real Madrid the chance to leapfrog their city rivals and land a serious blow to their title hopes.
Real Madrid will hope that they are in a position of advantage by the time their match against Granada kicks off. Atletico play Sociedad one day before them, and there is the possibility of them dropping points. Should the scenario play out as described, Real Madrid will then have the opportunity to leapfrog Atleti at the top of the table. Los Blancos could go top even if Atleti draw their match against La Real, thanks to their better head-to-head record against their city rivals.
With the La Liga title race the most exciting, it has been in years, the focus is firmly on the clubs at the top. As such, any team below the fourth position are now merely side-actors in a much larger scheme of things. However, that doesn’t mean the likes of Granada won’t get their moment. As with Levante – who forced Barcelona into a 3-3 draw on Tuesday – Granada will get their chance to inflict pain on their much stronger opponents.
Key Players
While he may not be Granada’s top scorer, neither is he their top assist provider, but Darwin Machis’ numbers still suggest that he is a constant threat for the opposition teams. With four goals and four assists this season, Machis has contributed heavily to Granada’s attack. His numbers aren’t too bad in the context of his team, given that top scorer Roberto Soldado is just five goals ahead of him.
The Manchester City loanee Yangel Herrera has been one of Granada’s better players this season. His return to Spain for another season is in doubt, with reports claiming that his parent club is keen for him to stay in England. The Venezuelan attacking midfielder has scored eight goals this season and provided two assists – a meagre return in 46 matches. However, his overall play has been impressive, even if his numbers don’t pop out immediately.
It is hard to imagine Real Madrid contending for the Spanish crown had they lost their leader, Karim Benzema. The Frenchman has been the key figure for Zinedine Zidane’s team over the last two seasons and, at times, the only reason that they stay in ties. Benzema has delivered plenty of goals during his decade-long stay at the club, but those discord over the past couple of seasons have immense value, given he is their only recognized goal scorer at the moment.
Marco Asensio was expected to be the ‘next big thing’ for Real Madrid after an incredible breakthrough. However, injuries troubles have slowed his progress down over the last few seasons, if not halting it completely. : The Spaniard is on the comeback trail and has nine goal contributions this season. Two of his seven goals across all competitions have come recently, hinting that the Spaniard might be back facing the right direction.
Prediction
Whether or not they get to go top this week, Real Madrid must continue to take maximum points from their games. There is no margin for error at the moment, as a loss could give either of their rivals the chance to steal a march ahead of them. Zinedine Zidane’s side needs to win their match against Granada at all costs and continue to hope that Atletico Madrid drop points in any of their three remaining matches.
With that goal in mind, and with a squad of world-class players, Madrid will visit Granada on Thursday. A win should be a formality for a team that is much, much bigger than their opponents. However, beating Granada will not be easy – it never is. Nevertheless, anything less than a win will anger the Los Blancos faithful to no ends, especially if that means that Real Madrid miss another opportunity to take the lead at the top.
