Eibar Vs Granada
Friday 20th December 2019 – 20:00 Kick-Off
Spanish La Liga
Pick: Draw
Odds: 23/10
Bookmaker: Bet365
Spanish La Liga Betting at 22Bet
(All betting odds displayed were correct at the time of writing: 17th December 2019 at 10:50)
Preview: Two teams desperately out of form and in urgent need of points are Eibar, who will host this Friday night La Liga fixture at their Ipurua Municipal Stadium, and Granada. The pair meet in the first of this weekend’s Spanish top tier action, which will be the last action before the winter break.
Eibar Vs Granada Live Stats & Betting Odds
Eibar Preview – Where will the goals come from?
A downward slide is well and truly in motion at Eibar (16th – W4 D4 L9, GF15 GA28). The club from the Basque Country have spent the past five seasons in the Spanish top tier relatively untroubled from relegation, but their status in this company is coming under threat like few before it. No win in five (D1 L4) has caused them to plummet down the table at such a rate that they are now only two places and as many points above the drop zone.
To compound their cause, according to Infolgol these are the team with the worst process (xGF of 1.10 and xGA of 1.60) of all twenty clubs in La Liga for 2019-20. It would go some way to explaining their current toils, with their last win coming against rock-bottom Leganes, away from home, on 3 November – remarkably, the second of back-to-back success at that time after beating Villarreal 2-1 at home. Since then, however, they have registered one of fifteen possible points.
Recent defeats to Real Madrid (0-4), Alaves (0-2), Real Sociedad (4-1) and Getafe (0-1) were finally offset by last week’s fortunate goalless draw at Athletic Bilbao which, unsurprisingly considering their scoring woes of late, saw them struggle to create meaningful chances (xG: BIL 1.04 – 0.43 EIB). It could quite conceivably have been a fifth consecutive loss for Jose Luis Mendilibar, the Eibar coach who is seemingly at a loss as to how to revive his beleaguered troops.
Granada Preview – Reality check for former table toppers?
Reality is biting hard at Granada (9th – W7 D3 L7, GF24 GA22). There was an understandable wave of euphoria surrounding the club in the early part of the season – their first appearance in La Liga since 2016-17 after spending two terms in the Segunda Division – when the team embarked on a quite astonishing start that comprised of six wins from their opening ten fixtures, even topping the table at one stage. It was unsustainable, naturally.
For some comparison, their first ten matches garnered a return of 20 points (out of a possible 30). Incredible stuff from a club only recently promoted. However, their most recent seven encounters have produced one win – over notorious poor travellers Alaves, winning 3-0 as hosts – and a low-scoring draw at home to an Atletico Madrid side that cannot seem to score goals at the moment. Those are the positives amidst an alarming spell.
Last week’s 2-1 loss at home to Levante, which was harsh according to Infogol (xG: GRA 1.43 – 1.16 LEV), made it five defeats in the last seven La Liga matches (W1 D1 L5). A little like their upcoming opposition, the goals have dried up at an alarming rate: only once, since losing 4-2 at Real Madrid on 5 October, have they scored more than one goal in their previous nine encounters. Their troubles are exacerbated on the road meanwhile, where only one goal and no points were recorded across the last three contests with Athletic Bilbao (2-0), Getafe (3-1) and Valencia (2-0).
Eibar Vs Granada – Key Facts:
- Drawing 1-1 away at Athletic Bilbao last weekend brought a four-match losing run to an end for Eibar, who are striving to avoid a fourth consecutive home defeat.
- Losing 2-1 at home to Levante during the previous matchday meant a fifth defeat in seven for Granada, who arrive on the back of three successive losses as the visiting side.
- Eibar boast an impressive head-to-head record having won each of the last four La Liga meetings, and none of six altogether (W4 D2).
Betting Summary
16 hosts 10 in La Liga, as Eibar (11/10 Sportingbet) take on Granada (3/1 Betway). Although, with the form both are in, this could easily be a relegation scrap at the Ipurua Municipal Stadium. Goals are far from guaranteed, either: the hosts have notched once in their last five while Granada, despite scoring three times across their last two matches, have scored more than once on one occasion in their previous nine attempts.
This could very well prove to be a cagey affair therefore, between two teams in poor form, but particularly in the attacking third of the pitch. Granada arrive with third successive away defeats which mirrors that recent form of Eibar at home, who have lost their previous three home encounters without scoring. There hasn’t been a single draw in a Eibar home fixture all season but due to the current issues of both sides, there must surely be every chance of a first here.
Other bets worth considering are Under 1.5 Goals at 7/4 (PaddyPower) and 0-0 Correct Score at 13/2 (Unibet). Cue the classic seven-goal thriller now.
