Villarreal team captain Bruno Soriano. (Photo : Getty Images)
Last term's 16th-placed squad Granada CF is set to face Champions League qualifiers Villarreal CF in the two teams' respective 2016-2017 La Liga season-opening match on August 20, Saturday at the Estadio Los Carmenes in Andalusia, Spain.
Granada had a successful preseason by being unbeaten in six of their seven friendly matches to prepare for the upcoming Spanish top flight term. The only loss the team had was a 0-2 setback against top La Liga team Sevilla, but other than that El Graná already looked ready to begin the new season.
Their final friendly encounter ended in a 3-2 win over Segunda Division club RCD Mallorca at the Iberostar Stadium last Saturday, as per ESPN.
The team will feature a new manager this season with former Rayo Vallecano boss Paco Jémez taking over from José González, who himself replaced sacked head coach José Ramón Sandoval in the middle of last term.
Some of the team's notable new signings this summer are defender Tito from Rayo Vallecano and on loan players Jon Toral from Arsenal, Victorien Angban and Jérémie Boga from Chelsea, Ezequiel Ponce from Roma, Gabriel Silva from Udinese, and goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa from Malaga.
Meanwhile, Champions League playoff round qualifiers Villarreal had a turbulent preseason, losing their last three friendlies after being unbeaten in their first six.
Newly-promoted side CD Leganes defeated them, 3-2, in their final preseason match at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque also last Saturday to finish their preparations on a low note, via Soccerway.
Like Granada, El Submarino Amarillo will feature a new coach this season in former Getafe manager Fran Escribá, who replaced sacked head coach Marcelino just last week.
This summer, the team added defender José Ángel from Porto, midfielders Denis Cheryshev, Alfred N'Diaye, and Roberto Soriano from Real Madrid, Real Betis, and Sampdoria, and forwards Alexandre Pato, Nicola Sansone, and Rafael Santos Borré from Corinthians, Sassuolo, and Atletico Madrid.
Notable losses are defender Eric Bailly who moved to England with Manchester United, midfielder Denis Suárez who joined La Liga champions FC Barcelona, and striker Léo Baptistão who returned to Atletico Madrid after a season-long loan.
The predicted result is a 2-0 win for Villarreal.
Granada starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Kelava; Tito, Lomban, Silva, Saunier; Marquez, Rico; Toral, Boga, Cuenca; Barral
Villarreal starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Barbosa; Gaspar, Jokic, Bonera, Rukavina; Soriano, Cheryshev, dos Santos, Trigueros; Soldado, Pato
