Historical Trends in Spanish Football
Granada’s current position in seventh place, outside the playoff zone, may seem circumstantial, but recent seasons have shown that it can be a significant obstacle for teams aiming for direct promotion to the top tier.
A Decade of Data
Over the last eleven campaigns, no team that finished the first round outside the top positions managed to secure a direct promotion to the highest category by the end of the season. This trend serves as a warning sign for Granada, who will need to improve their performance to achieve their goal.
Previous Seasons’ Examples
Last season, Leganés and Valladolid secured direct promotion after finishing first and fourth in the first round, respectively. In the previous season, Granada and Las Palmas achieved direct promotion despite finishing sixth and first in the initial stretch of the season. These examples demonstrate that improvement is possible, but it requires a significant turnaround.
Successful Comebacks
In the 2020-21 season, Espanyol and Mallorca maintained their top positions from the first round to the end of the season. Similarly, Levante and Girona achieved this feat in the 2016-17 season. Granada will need to avoid following in the footsteps of these teams if they want to secure direct promotion.
A Rare Exception
The last team to overcome a similar situation was Elche in the 2012-13 season. Despite finishing the first round in seventh place, they secured direct promotion with 77 points, thanks to an outstanding second round. The team, led by Marcelino, included players like Diego Mariño and a young Trigueros, who are now part of Granada’s squad and can provide leadership and experience to help the team achieve their goal.