Jubilant Madrid Visit Granada as Liga Relegation Battle Nears End

Cadiz lost against Real Madrid last weekend and are battling for survival in La Liga. OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP
Cadiz lost against Real Madrid last weekend and are battling for survival in La Liga. OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP
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Jubilant Madrid Visit Granada as Liga Relegation Battle Nears End

Cadiz lost against Real Madrid last weekend and are battling for survival in La Liga. OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP
Cadiz lost against Real Madrid last weekend and are battling for survival in La Liga. OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP

New Spanish champions Real Madrid visit suffering Granada on Saturday with La Liga's key affairs on the verge of being settled, despite four rounds of fixtures remaining.
After Los Blancos wrapped up the title last weekend and Girona secured Champions League qualification, attention turns to the other end of the table.
Granada could already be down before kick-off at their Nuevo Los Carmenes stadium if Real Mallorca, 17th, defeat Las Palmas earlier on.
The Andalucians are above only relegated Almeria and languish 11 points from safety with just 12 to play for. They were promoted last season but are poised to return swiftly to Spain's second tier.
Real Madrid defeated Bayern Munich on Wednesday to reach the Champions League final and after putting off their title celebrations last week to focus on that game, will be in party mode.
At least Granada's supporters will be spared the anguish of watching Madrid's trophy presentation potentially on the day they are relegated.
Although the Spanish football federation initially planned to give Los Blancos the league trophy on Saturday, they changed their plans and will instead hand it to Madrid on Sunday morning.
"We will play against Real Madrid to dedicate a victory to our fans, which is what they deserve," said Granada coach Jose Ramon Sandoval, acknowledging an honorable exit is the most Granada can hope for now.
Cadiz, 18th, trail Mallorca by six points and have a slightly greater chance of survival, although the odds are against them.
They host Getafe on Sunday and a victory would help them at least take their survival battle to the wire.
"It's difficult to do calculations -- we need to always focus on the next match," said coach Mauricio Pellegrino.
"Our chances will increase if we win the next one.
"We need to improve, rise back up, and compete in front of our fans."
Higher up the table there are a few minor threads still to fully unravel.
Atletico Madrid are firm favorites to hold on to fourth position to reach next season's Champions League, sitting six points clear of Athletic Bilbao in fifth.
Diego Simeone's side welcome lowly Celta Vigo on Sunday after Athletic host out-of-form Osasuna on Saturday.
Real Betis are trying to fend off eighth-place Valencia to finish in the top seven to secure European football next season and have a five-point advantage.
Second-place Girona would dearly love to finish above illustrious but hurting neighbors Barcelona, third, who host a Real Sociedad team still looking to seal a Europa League place on Monday.
Michel Sanchez's entertaining Girona side visit Alaves with striker Artem Dovbyk aiming to add to his league-leading goal tally of 20.



Inter Milan Goalie Yann Sommer Injures Thumb Ahead of Key Serie A and Champions League Games

FILED - 10 December 2024, North Rhine-Westphalia, Leverkusen: Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer leaves the pitch after the UEFA Champions League soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Inter Milan at BayArena. Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
FILED - 10 December 2024, North Rhine-Westphalia, Leverkusen: Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer leaves the pitch after the UEFA Champions League soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Inter Milan at BayArena. Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
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Inter Milan Goalie Yann Sommer Injures Thumb Ahead of Key Serie A and Champions League Games

FILED - 10 December 2024, North Rhine-Westphalia, Leverkusen: Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer leaves the pitch after the UEFA Champions League soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Inter Milan at BayArena. Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
FILED - 10 December 2024, North Rhine-Westphalia, Leverkusen: Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer leaves the pitch after the UEFA Champions League soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Inter Milan at BayArena. Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa

Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer has a broken right thumb ahead of key games in Serie A and the Champions League.
Inter said the Swiss ‘keeper’s injury was revealed in tests on Thursday and “necessary therapy will be decided in the coming days,” The Associated Press reported.
Thumb injuries can sideline goalkeepers for several weeks though no timetable was set by Inter for Sommer, who has started every Serie A and Champions League game this season.
The defending Serie A champion is second in the standings, trailing Napoli by two points, and travels to Naples at the end of next week. Inter first hosts Genoa on Saturday.
Sommer also could miss the Champions League round-of-16 games on March 4 or 5 then March 10 or 11. Inter will be drawn against Feyenoord or PSV Eindhoven when the pairings are made on Friday.
Sommer's backups are Raffaele Di Gennaro and Josep Martinez.