Sports Desk
MADRID: Granada and Athletic Club Bilbao face each other in the return leg of their semifinal of Spain’s Copa del Rey competition with Athletic taking a slight advantage to Granada’s Los Carmines Stadium.
Iker Muniain’s first half goal from the first leg in Bilbao three weeks ago gave the Basque side a vital 1-0 win and with away goals counting double in the event of a draw, a goal for Athletic in Granada would leave the home side needing to score three times to qualify.
Both sides are without key players for the game, with veteran striker Roberto Soldado suspended for Malaga, while holding midfielder Dani Garcia is an important absentee for Athletic Club and coach Gaizka Garitano will probably replace him with Mikel San Jose.
Meanwhile, central defender Domingos Duarte is a doubt for Granada and Jesus Vallejo is likely to start. It will be interesting to see if Granada start with two or three central defenders to try and annul Athletic’s Inaki Williams, whose pace on the break is likely to be his side’s main threat on Thursday night.
Garitano will also have to make a decision on his formation after switching from three central defenders to a flat back four for the weekend’s 1-0 win at home to Villarreal in which Inigo Cordoba returned to action and linked effectively with left back Yuri throughout the game.
Yuri is one of three Athletic Club players, along with Inigo Martinez and Williams who will have to be careful in Los Carmines as a yellow card would mean they would miss the final through suspension if their side qualifies.
However, before the finalist is decided there are 90 (and perhaps even 120) minutes of football to be played in a packed stadium where the home fans want to see their team make the final for the first time since 1959.
