MADRID, 9 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Granada hosts Athletic this Tuesday (8:00 p.m.) in a match where they will try to make good the win they achieved in Mallorca that took them out of relegation, while Valencia and Betis will meet at Mestalla (7:00 p.m.) in a repeat of the final of the Copa del Rey and with the Betis rushing their options for fourth place, in matches corresponding to the thirty-sixth day of LaLiga Santander 2021-2022.
After a very resounding victory (2-6) at the Visit Mallorca Estadi against a direct rival, Granada reinforced their aspirations for salvation. With only three matches to go, the Nasrid team has a two-point advantage over the vermilion team itself, and has two commitments in front of its public, the first of them against an Athletic Club that does not give up Europe.
In the third game with Aitor Karanka at the helm, all of them adding up, the team from Granada put an end to a streak of five days without winning and took fresh breath, although they will have to assert this victory against Marcelino García Toral’s team, located just one point from seventh place for Villarreal and four from sixth for Real Sociedad.
The main concern for the coach from Vitoria is the physical condition of Luis Suárez, Antonio Puertas and Sergio Escudero, who ended up ‘touched’ and could not be in the game in a duel that Njegos Petrovic will lose due to suspension.
For its part, Athletic needs the victory if it wants to continue opting to play European competitions next season. Marcelino’s men, who arrive after a goalless draw at San Mamés against Valencia, continue to aspire mathematically even to fifth place and want to put pressure on their rivals.
The Biscayan team saw their run of two consecutive victories slow down against José Bordalás’ men and will try to recover those key points away from home, the aspect that has cost them the most this season, to provisionally overcome the ‘Yellow Submarine’. Marcelino has almost ruled out Óscar de Marcos and is awaiting the physical condition of Yeray Álvarez and the recently renewed Raúl García.
BETIS PLAYS IT IN THE REVANCH OF THE CUP FINAL
On the other hand, in the match that opens day 36, Valencia and Betis will face each other in Mestalla 17 days after crossing paths in the Copa del Rey final that crowned the Verdiblanco team, which will be the one played ‘ more’ at the qualifying level.
The Valencianistas are tenth with 44 points and no longer have the chance to play in European competition next year, while the cup champion, fifth ranked with 58, has seen fourth place slip away and needs to win to continue opting for fourth place.
Manuel Pellegrini’s men will have their last bullet to be able to play in the top continental competition next season, from which they are six points away when there are only nine left in the running. After the defeat in discount against FC Barcelona (1-2), the Betis no longer have a margin of error.
However, Betis has only been able to smile in recent weeks as they have only been able to add two of the last twelve league points, a bad moment that is reflected above all in the offensive part that will have to improve against a rival that defends solidly. Claudio Bravo, Héctor Bellerín and Víctor Ruiz will not be able to be in an eleven where there could be rotations compared to Saturday with Miranda, Carvalho, Tello or Willian José.
Opposite will be Valencia, who have not won a game since last March, when they beat Elche at home. Bordalás’ team has achieved four defeats and two draws in the last six games, reaching the final stretch of the season with no chance of reaching the European positions, although without suffering from relegation.
However, the ‘che’ team will want revenge for what happened at La Cartuja de Sevilla and this factor and the fact of giving joy to a somewhat upset fans will be their weapons to seek the three points.
The coach from Alicante will have the certain losses of Gayá and Guillamón due to suspension, and the doubt in defense of Gabriel Paulista, while Gonzalo Guedes and Hugo Duro are expected to return to the eleven after the Portuguese came out against Athletic in the second half and the man from Madrid was not summoned due to some inconvenience.
–PROGRAM OF THE DAY 35 OF LALIGA SANTANDER.
-Marts 10.
Valencia-Betis. From Cerro Grande (C. Madrid) 19.00.
Grenada – Athletic. Sánchez Martínez (C.Murciano) 20.00.
FC Barcelona – Celtic. Ortiz Arias (C. Madrid) 21.30.
-Wednesday 11.
Alaves – Espanyol. Pizarro Gómez (C. Madrid) 19.00.
Osasuna – Getafe. Muñiz Ruiz (C.Gallego) 19.00.
Seville – Majorca. Hernández Hernández (C.Canario) 20.30.
Elche – Atletico Madrid. González Fuertes (C.Asturiano) 21.30.
-Thursday, 12.
Royal Society – Cadiz. Martínez Munuera (C.Valenciano) 19.00.
R.Vallecano – Villarreal. Diaz de Mea Escuderos (CC-La Mancha) 8:00 p.m.
Real Madrid-Raise. Lamb Vega (C.Cantabro) 21.30.