Real Sociedad vs Granada CF preview - Gonzalez to wield axe

Posted Tuesday, September 20, 2011 by PA

Proud Granada manager Fabri Gonzalez is ready to ring the changes for Tuesday's Primera Division clash with Real Sociedad after the club's first top-flight win in decades.

Years in the doldrums for Granada ended with back-to-back promotions, and they beat Villarreal 1-0 on Saturday to secure their first points of the campaign, after two earlier defeats.

But Gonzalez saw several exhausted players in the Granada dressing room after their success, and the quartet of Franco Jara, Dani Benitez, Ikechukwu Uche and Hassan Yebda could be given a rest against Sociedad.

Gonzalez said: "Some people are tired after the game the other day and there is very little recovery time.

"There may be some changes, on the basis of what we saw the other day."

It seems unlikely that Gonzalez would rest all four of the players he named, particularly for a match in which Granada would hope to be competitive.

Sociedad narrowly avoided relegation last season and if Granada are to stay afloat to secure a second term among the elite, they would hope to pick up points from such sides.

Especially when a particularly busy October lies ahead, featuring games against heavyweights such as Valencia, Atletico, Barcelona and Sevilla.

"I'm not thinking about October," Gonzalez said at a press conference, reported by local newspaper website www.ideal.es.

"I'm going game by game, to prepare as well as possible for matches. We must live in the present. We will try to compete on Tuesday and do our best."

One bonus for Granada could be the possible absence of star Sociedad midfielder Xabi Prieto, who has an ankle injury, sustained in Saturday's 1-0 defeat against Sevilla.

Sociedad have started their season with a win, a draw, and a loss, and Prieto is central to their play when fit.

He still hopes to be fit, but said: "It's very difficult because there is little time, but we'll see how I wake up on Tuesday and if we are lucky.

"Playing a match requires a major effort and you have to be well to be able to play."

Gonzalez knows the unavailability of Prieto could be good news for Granada.

He said: "He is a player whose individual qualities lift the team. It would be a significant loss for them but they have players who can step in."