Granada CF vs Atletico de Madrid preview - Miranda wants Falcao to stay

Posted Sunday, November 18, 2012 by PA

Atletico Madrid centre-back Miranda hopes striker Radamel Falcao will stay at the Primera Division club but says talk of his potential exit is not causing a distraction ahead of Sunday's clash with Granada.

Barclays Premier League side Chelsea are believed to be interested in exercising the £48million release clause in Falcao's contract in the January transfer window.

However, the Colombia international has played down talk of a departure before the end of the season and Miranda says Atletico are focused on building another strong run after defeat by Valencia at the start of the month ended a nine-game unbeaten sequence.

Victory against Getafe last week saw Atletico stay second in the standings behind Barcelona and Miranda says a win against 16th-placed Granada is their only concern.

"Falcao is a great player and (what is happening) does not affect anything with the group. I hope he stays and helps us a lot," Miranda told the club's official website.

"The three points against Granada are the same as against any other team. Granada will fight a lot and it will be a very difficult game.

"Our thinking now is only about Granada. We want to play well and get the three points."

While Falcao is the name on so many lips, Granada defender Diego Mainz has warned his side not to solely concentrate on the 26-year-old's threat in front of goal.

"Falcao, we know too well, is a natural goalscorer, one of the best strikers in the world," Mainz told Marca.

"The danger of Atletico is not just with Falcao because it is a team with players of high quality who can also score."