Benzema, a cyclone in Granada

Benzema has already participated in 18 goals in this league and Vinicius in 14, seven and three more, respectively, of which all Granada has scored in 12 competitive matches. So in a League that has been flattened a lot by the poles (mainly due to the march of two goal mega-industries, Cristiano and Messi) there are still notable differences. Today will be the day to prove it or deny it in Los Cármenes (follow the game live on As.com).

Madrid will find a Granada that comes out of the depression and begins to remove the mourning for the departure of Diego Martínez, a coach who took him to the quarterfinals of the Europa League and who left him ninth last year. It was hardly going to improve, but the initial collapse was not expected, when the team scored just three of the first 24 points. Of course, his three draws were against Villarreal, Valencia and Barça. Later he also beat Sevilla. A warning for Madrid. With a defeat in the last five games, he started the day out of relegation.

It has been difficult for Robert Moreno to catch the pulse of the team. He has changed the system up to four times in the last games. That flexibility has always accompanied him despite having published a book on his 4-4-2 recipe, prefaced by his then godfather Luis Enrique, whom he accompanied in Rome, Celta, Barça and National Team, the drawing that has worked best for him. Announced upon arrival his intention to “give continuity” to Diego Martínez’s project, but the team was weakened by the departure of strategic footballers such as Yangel Herrera, Rui Silva or Soldado. Of the signings, only Luis Maximiliano and Monchu play with certain assiduity. And it is the team that shoots the least on goal in the League (2.8 shots per game) and the third that scores the least.

The FIFA virus

For the game recovers in Gonalons, that points to starter, and Eteki, but Domingos Duarte and Milla are still out, notable losses. In the last two games he only made one change, and due to injury (to Milla himself), with very different results: victory against Levante (0-3) and defeat against Espanyol (2-0).

What is certain is that it will suffer less from the effects of the FIFA virus than Madrid. Robert Moreno only lost the Peruvian Abram and the Venezuelan Machis in the last two weeks against Madrid’s twelve. They also played at least one game with their national teams and one of them, Bale, returned injured. It was the 28th mishap since he arrived. He has only played three games so far this season.

So he is the first discarded for the eternal vacancy on the right wing of the white trident. By elimination, the matter will go between Lucas Vázquez and Asensio, the most rested. Rodrygo is recovered, but he has lost the last two games and with them the advantage he seemed to have obtained in the preceding weeks. Hazard, who was already almost out of Ancelotti’s rotations, will not even be on the bench. Now he suffers from gastroenteritis and his discharge eliminates one more problem than creating it. He has not started since September and has only played 51 minutes in the last seven games.

Granada’s worst enemy

It remains to be seen if Ancelotti gives a break to the other ten faithful. Modric was already absent against Rayo, but he comes with a 144-minute beating with Croatia, while Carvajal, Militao, Courtois, Alaba or Casemiro only played one of the two games with their national teams. In any case, Vinicius and Benzema remain untouchable, among the most punished by the FIFA virus. The Frenchman scored three goals in two games with his national team and has already been there for 19 since the start of the course. Granada has scored 14 in 16 games, more than anyone else. The Brazilian entered through the back door in the call of Brazil and ended up being the main player. Neither one nor the other have a relay.

Granada will do everything to support its team. A call is planned to receive the players two hours before the clash and Los Cármenes is expected to be sold out despite the ticket prices: between 110 and 180 euros. The Andalusian team has lost the last twelve games against Madrid. His last victory dates back to 2013, with Mourinho on the white bench. That day he decided on a rarity, an own goal by Cristiano in a corner. Instinct killed him. Now Madrid arrives in a better situation, overcome the pothole of the week in which they drew with Villarreal and lost with the Sheriff and Espanyol consecutively. Since then, six wins and a draw on the verge of a seven-game marathon in 17 days.