Getafe vs Granada CF preview - Franco wary of Granada challenge

Getafe coach Pablo Franco admits Granada's change of coach puts a new complexion on their key Primera Division meeting on Sunday afternoon.

Granada responded to Thursday night's 2-1 home defeat to Espanyol, which left them six points of safety with four games remaining, by ending the four-month reign of former Atletico Madrid coach Abel Resino.

The Andalusian club wasted no time in appointing Resino's successor as Jose Ramon Sandoval, the former Rayo Vallecano and Sporting Gijon coach, took over team affairs on Friday afternoon until the end of the season.

Sandoval's first challenge is away to Getafe - opponents themselves not safe from the threat of relegation and still smarting from Tuesday's 6-0 drubbing to league leaders Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

"This (new Granada coach) makes us doubt, uncertainty of what we see," Franco told reporters at his pre-match press conference.

"Yes, we know there are only a few days to assimilate the concepts of the new coach, but we also know that Granada will die to win this game.

"But we will respond after the Barcelona game and, like them, we are aware of the relevance of this match."

Granada's fifth defeat in an eight-game winless run proved the final straw for Resino, who had only succeeded Joaquin Caparros in January.

Resino had taken 11 points from a possible 45 and a club statement on Friday insisted managerial change was necessary to try to keep the club in the top flight.

"The club remains confident that staying up is possible and it has been decided to focus on bringing in a new coach to lead the Rojiblanco in the last four league games," said the official Granada statement.

"The results obtained by the team in recent days have forced this difficult decision to be taken."

Franco will wait on injury doubts Diego Castro and Pablo Sarabia before naming his Getafe team, while Granada's French central defender Jean-Sylvain Babin could be available after missing the last four games.