Throughout his tenure at the red-and-white club, Pacheta has navigated various stages in forming his starting elevens. Initially, he faced difficulties completing the squad due to delays in player registration. Subsequently, he established a core lineup with few variations, and with the arrival of reinforcements in the winter transfer market, his options expanded.
The increased availability of players has even allowed him to experiment with different systems in recent matchdays, frequently rotating the squad due to the close proximity of games. This coming Sunday, at two in the afternoon, Granada will play a vital match for its future in the league.
Hosting Cultural Leonesa, who are at the bottom of Segunda División, presents a crucial opportunity: a victory would significantly boost their chances of staying in the division, while a defeat would complicate their situation given a demanding short-term schedule. Following recent consecutive losses to Las Palmas (2-0) and Castellón (3-2), changes to the lineup are anticipated.
Pacheta's first major decision will be the playing system: whether to opt for the 1-5-3-2, used in the last two away matches that ended in defeat, or to revert to the 1-4-3-3, his more common formation this season. In goal, the main question is who will start. Astralaga has been between the posts for the last three fixtures (Huesca, Las Palmas, and Castellón), while Luca Zidane, who was in excellent form, was benched.
All indications suggest that Luca Zidane will reclaim his starting spot, and it is expected that Pacheta will return to a four-man defense. In the backline, the main doubt is the participation of Manu Lama, the team captain, who was absent in Castellón due to physical issues. His progress during the week will determine his availability. Diaby is a potential alternative if Lama cannot play. Loic Williams appears to be an untouchable in defense, and Oscar and Diallo also seem set as full-backs, despite having rested against Las Palmas and showing inconsistent performance upon their return to the starting eleven in Castalia.
In midfield, Pacheta has five players vying for two or three positions, depending on the chosen formation, and with the certainty that Gagnidze is no longer making the squad. Key players like Sergio Ruiz and Rubén Alcaraz have been left out of recent starting lineups, while Izan and Alemañ have become indispensable. The coach will decide whether to include anyone else in the lineup against 'Cultu', and if that player is Trigueros, as against Huesca, or one of the aforementioned defensive pivots.
Upfront, Pablo Sáenz and José Arnaiz have established themselves as essential players, being the only ones, along with Astralaga and Loic Williams, who started in the last three matches played by the red-and-whites in the past ten days. The choice of tactical formation and José Arnaiz's position, either on the wing or as a false nine, will determine who completes the lineup on Sunday. Petit and Pascual are vying for the '9' spot if José Arnaiz starts on the flank, while in the other option, the range of choices expands to wingers like Baba or Álex Sola to start the match.
