Granada will get the new year up and running when they play face fellow Andalusian side Cadiz in Wednesday's La Liga fixture.
The hosts are currently languishing in the bottom three, while the visitors are sitting just outside the drop zone in 17th place.
Match preview
Granada enter the new year knowing that they need a dramatic improvement to avoid an immediate return to the second tier after winning one, drawing five and losing 12 of their 18 La Liga matches this season.
Alexander Medina, who succeeded Paco Lopez in November, has failed to ignite an upturn in fortunes, with his four games in charge producing one draw and three defeats.
A couple of those losses took place in Granada's final game before the short winter break, as they fell to consecutive defeats to Celta Vigo and Sevilla without troubling the scorers, ensuring that the relegation-threatened side have now failed to find the net in seven of their 18 league matches.
While there is work to do in the final third, Granada's main focus for improvement will be at the opposite end of the pitch, having conceded 40 goals in La Liga this season – only basement side Almeria have let in more.
As a result of their defensive struggles, they are the only team yet to keep a clean sheet in the Spanish top flight in 2023-24, but they have the chance to change that statistic against a Cadiz side they kept at bay when they played out a goalless draw in their most recent meeting in February 2022.
Like their hosts, Cadiz also come into 2024 seeking a significant improvement after winning just two of their 18 league matches (D9, L7), leaving them just two points clear of 18th-placed Celta Vigo.
Although Cadiz may be winless in 14 league matches, they have at least made themselves a tough team to beat in recent times, having played out five consecutive top-flight draws, including a goalless affair in their previous outing against Real Sociedad.
They may have taken confidence from ending their 10-game wait for a La Liga clean sheet, but it is in the final third where Sergio Gonzalez will be looking for solutions to his team's struggles.
Having registered just 14 league goals this season, Cadiz are currently the joint-lowest scorers in the top flight alongside Alaves, while they have failed to score more than once in each of their last seven league matches.
Despite experiencing a dismal run in front of goal, they will at least be confident of picking up at least a point from Monday's encounter after avoiding defeat in each of their last six competitive meetings with Granada (W1, D5).
Team News
Goalkeeper Raul Fernandez remains sidelined with a back issue, while defender Jesus Vallejo is a doubt despite being in the latter stages of his recovery from a hamstring injury.
After dropping down to the bench against Sevilla, Albania international Myrto Uzuni is expected to be recalled to the starting lineup for Granada's first match of 2024.
Uzuni is currently Granada's joint top scorer in La Liga alongside Bryan Zaragoza, who is now into his final six months with the club ahead of his summer move to German champions Bayern Munich.
As for the visitors, they are unable to call upon the injured Roger Marti, while Ivan Alejo is suspended after he picked up his 10th yellow card of the season against Real Sociedad.
With Alejo set to serve a one-match ban, Ruben Sobrino could be presented with his fifth league start of the 2023-24 campaign.
Gonzalo Escalante and Luis Hernandez are closing in on a return from injury, but it remains to be seen whether the pair will be passed fit for Wednesday's contest.
Granada possible starting lineup:
Ferreira; Sanchez, Miquel, Torrente, Neva; Gumbau, Ruiz; Uzuni, Villar, Zaragoza; Boye
Cadiz possible starting lineup:
Ledesma; Carcelen, Fali, Chust, Pires, Navarro, Fernandez, Alcaraz, Sobrino; Ramos, Gomez
We say: Granada 1-1 Cadiz
While both sides will be desperate to claim maximum points to boost their survival hopes, we think that they may have to be content with a share of the spoils, having seen five of their last six head-to-head meetings finish all square.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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