Match Pack: Athletic Club vs Granada CF (LaLiga MD15)

After drawing against Levante UD last Friday, Athletic Club are back in action seven days later facing Granada CF in Bilbao. The Lions, who have a game in hand, are four points off sixth-placed Rayo Vallecano. A win on Friday would provide a welcome morale boost and keep the Rojiblancos well within the fight for a European spot.

To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (November 25), purple cards will be distributed among fans at San Mamés so they can be held up to create a purple mosaic as players come out of the tunnel on Friday night.

Match Info
Granada CF (Matchday 15)

San Mamés (Bilbao)

LaLiga Santander 2021/22

Friday November 26, 21:00 CET

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How to Watch

We’ve compiled a list of official LaLiga TV operators plus global kick-off times to help make sure you watch the match at the right time, wherever you are!

Team News

Marcelino has named a 22-man squad to face Granada CF. Bilbao Athletic forward Nico Serrano is back in the list. Striker Asier Villalibre is back on the sidelines after picking up an injury against Levante UD, he joins long-term absentees Dani Vivian, Yuri Berchiche and Peru Nolaskoain.

Marcelino’s Comments

Marcelino stressed the importance of regularly picking up points in Bilbao, insisting that Athletic’s home form would have a massive impact on their LaLiga Santander position come the end of the season.

Catch up on everything the manager had to say in his pre-match press conference.

The Opponents

League position: 17th

Form over last five LaLiga matches: DDWLL

Last match: 1-4 loss to Real Madrid (A)

Head coach: Robert Moreno

Catalan-born coach Robert Moreno joined Granada this past summer. Moreno started his coaching career in the lower league, leading a range of Catalonian sides. He got his big break when he became Luis Enrique’s assistant at AS Roma.

Over the next few years, Moreno worked by Luis Enrique’s side at AS Roma, Celta Vigo, FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team. He even stepped in to help Spain qualify for Euro 2020 when Luis Enrique was left for personal reasons, but was dismissed from the set-up altogether when Luis Enrique later returned.

Moreno took his first step into senior management with AS Monaco. He took over the Ligue 1 outfit in December 2019 and led them to a ninth-place finish before being relieved of his duties.

The Granada head coach will not be taking his place in the San Mamés away dugout this Friday, as he is serving a ban after being sent to the stands in the visitors’ recent defeat against Real Madrid.

Star man: Luis Suárez

The Colombian striker -not to be confused with the Atlético Madrid forward of the same name- is Granada’s top goalscorer so far in 2021/22, with four goals in 13 appearances. The centre-forward began his career at Leones in his birth country before spending the 2016/17 season on loan at Granada’s B team.

In July 2017, he joined English outfit Watford FC. Curiously he never played a match for the Hornets, instead spending the following three seasons on loan at different Spanish clubs: Real Vallodolid B (2017/18), Gimnastic (2018/19) and Real Zaragoza (2019/20).

Nineteen strikes in 38 appearances for Zaragoza convinced Granada to sign Suárez on a permanent transfer before the start of the 2020/21 campaign. He went on to score seven times in 37 matches across all competitions last season.

Previous Meetings
Athletic have hosted Granada CF a total of 25 times at San Mamés, their first LaLiga encounter dating back to the 1941/42 campaign with the Lions winning 1-0 thanks to a goal by Telmo Zarra.

Los Rojiblancos have a good track record against the Andalusians in Bilbao, with 20 victories, two draws and three losses in LaLiga.

Last season’s clash saw Athletic come out on top after Alex Berenguer smashed in a stoppage-time winner to make it 2-1. The Lions recorded their biggest ever home win over Granada in 2013/14, an Aritz Aduriz hat-trick plus a Carlos Gurpegui goal seeing Athletic win 4-0.

Don’t forget, the perfect meeting point before Athletic vs Granada is San Mamés’ in-built sportsbar, Geuria! Located between gates 13 and 15 at San Mamés, the bar will be open from 19:30 CET onwards on Friday night. Soak up the pre-match atmosphere at The Cathedral with fellow Athletic fans before the match kicks off.

Thanksgiving Giveaway
Athletic Club would like to wish a very happy Thanksgiving to all our fans in the United States, in particular to members of our three US-based official Fan Clubs: Peña Athletic Club California, Boiseko Athletic Club Peña and Peña Athletic Club Miami.

To celebrate Thanksgiving Day, which took place on Thursday, we are giving away a 2021/22 home jersey on our official English Twitter account.

Taking part is easy and anyone can enter the draw. You just have to go to the Twitter account and follow these instructions:

1️⃣ Follow @Athletic_en ?

2️⃣ RT ?

3️⃣ Tag 2 friends ?

The winner will be announced on Monday November 29 at 20:00 CET!

If you want to join or set up an official Athletic Club fan club in your region, this is how to do it:

• • Find a fan club
  • Set up a fan club