LET BATTLE COMMENCE – Granada CF get ready for the big time

By Alex Bromley
Updated: 3 August, 2011

By Alex Bromley

La Liga kicks off not long from now, and so Granada CF have just a fortnight or so to get in the mindset for what is about to hit them.

Let’s not beat about the bush, and I’ll just say it now; Barcelona are the team to beat.

They are the best in the world right now and, despite losing to Manchester United 2-1 in Washington recently, it hardly tarnishes the comprehensive pummeling dished out by the Catalan side to apparently their nearest rivals back in May.

The 3-1 victory in the Champion’s League was simply a masterclass of football and has been stated by many a reporter as the best performance any club side has played… ever.

Granada have to play them twice.

There could be tough times ahead for the Andalusians

But of course, the best league in the world doesn’t stop at Barcelona; La Liga is full of wonderful teams and great players – had Real Madrid been playing in the Premiership last season and got as many points as they did in La Liga, they’d have won the title by 12 points.

Valencia would have been below Chelsea only on goal difference, and the top quality throughout the division continues throughout the top seven at the very least.

Granada also have to play them all twice too.

So with all of this endless Spanish talent, how on earth do the Andalucian side intend to survive?

I recently reported on the background of Granada CF and their battle to stay afloat both financially and in a footballing sense.

Through adversity, and with hard graft and a fair amount of luck, they are back at the top.

How will they fare? Well firstly, they will need to multiply both of those last attributes about 10-fold if they want to keep their heads above water.

Many expected Hercules to go straight back down last season having just got and if you remember, they ended up being one of only two teams to beat Barca.

However the point (and indeed the points) was moot and they indeed went back to the Segunda with that win against the champion’s amounting to almost 10% of their total points for the season.

Barca won’t want to relive that again.

Being the underdog may perhaps give Granada a vague advantage as they essentially have nothing to lose.

The neutrals are likely to get behind them, but in essence they lack the quality of most of the other 19 teams in the league and they do not really have the same ‘bite’ as the other teams who have been highlighted for a relegation battle.

Granada, therefore, are simply running out of time.

They need to add to the dwindling young squad and they need to do so quickly.

Recruiting former Pompey ‘hero’ Noe Pamarot from relegated Hercules is just not enough and if they don’t pucker up their ideas shortly, Granada could be staring long and hard down the barrel of the proverbial gun sooner than Christmas.

I like Granada, and don’t get me wrong I would love them to stay up, but I know a struggle when I see one; even before a ball is kicked.

The old saying goes that “football’s a funny game and that anything can happen” so with that in mind, and while we’re on the subject of hideous cliches, I’ll make El Centrocampista a deal; if Granada CF defeat the odds and stay up then I’ll devour my favourite Panama Hat.

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