Sevilla will be looking for their third La Liga victory of the season when they continue their 2020-21 campaign away to Granada on Saturday afternoon.
Julen Lopetegui's side have collected seven points from their first three league matches to sit sixth in the table, while Granada occupy 10th, having collected seven points from their four games this term.
Match preview
© Reuters
The international break came at a good time for Granada, with Diego Martinez's side playing a lot of football in the early stages of the 2020-21 campaign due to their European commitments.
El Grana finished seventh in Spain's top flight last term, which was their highest placing at this level since 1973-74, ensuring that they would be present in the qualifying rounds of the Europa League.
Granada have beaten Teuta Durres, Lokomotivi Tbilisi and Malmo to book their spot in the group stages of the European competition, while they have also made a solid start to their La Liga campaign.
Indeed, Martinez's side have won two, drawn one and lost one of their opening four matches to sit 10th in the table, level on points with Sevilla, albeit having played a game more.
Granada are without a win in their last two league games, though, suffering a 6-1 defeat at Atletico Madrid on September 27 before drawing 1-1 away to newly-promoted Cadiz before the international break.
© Reuters
Sevilla, meanwhile, did not start their 2020-21 La Liga campaign until the end of September due to their involvement in the Europa League, which they ended up winning once again.
Lopetegui's side started their domestic season with a 3-1 success at Cadiz on September 27 before making it two wins from two matches by beating Levante 1-0 at the start of October.
Sevilla also entered the international break off the back of a positive result, having picked up a point away at Barcelona on October 4, with Luuk de Jong on the scoresheet for the Europa League holders.
Los Nervionenses will be determined to pick up another three points ahead of their Champions League group-stage opener away at Chelsea on Tuesday night, while their next league fixture after this one is a home game against Eibar on October 24.
Granada La Liga form: WWLD
Granada form (all competitions): WWWLWD
Sevilla La Liga form: WWD
Sevilla form (all competitions): LWWD
Team News
© Reuters
Luis Suarez made his La Liga debut for Granada as a late substitute against Cadiz, but the summer arrival from Watford could now come into the starting XI on Saturday afternoon.
Neyder Lozano, Quini and Ramon Azeez are still on the sidelines through injury, while Martinez will have to assess the fitness of Venezuela duo Yangel Herrera and Darwin Machis, who both featured in their country's two World Cup qualifiers during the recent international break.
Roberto Soldado was named on the bench against Cadiz before the international break, but the experienced striker should replace Jorge Molina in the starting XI for this match.
As for Sevilla, new signing Karim Rekik is currently on the sidelines with a thigh issue, but the away side's squad is otherwise in good shape heading into this match.
Head coach Lopetegui has had a number of players away on international duty, though, and he will need to monitor the fitness of the likes of Lucas Ocampos before naming his starting XI.
De Jong is again expected to lead the line for the Europa League holders, while Ivan Rakitic, Fernando and Joan Jordan should line up as the midfield three on Saturday afternoon.
Granada possible starting lineup:
Silva; Foulquier, Sanchez, Duarte, Neva; Milla, Gonalons; Suarez, Herrera, Machis; Soldado
Sevilla possible starting lineup:
Bounou; Navas, Kounde, Carlos, Acuna; Rakitic, Fernando, Jordan; Suso, L De Jong, Ocampos
We say: Granada 1-2 Sevilla
This has all of the makings of a very, very close game on Saturday afternoon. Granada are now a team to be taken extremely seriously at this level of football, but Sevilla should be pushing high up the table again this season, and we fancy Lopetegui's side to just shade a tight encounter at Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes.
