Unfashionable clubs in final push for Primera status

A week ago, fans of Celta Vigo and Valladolid, two clubs with recent Primera experience, probably allowed themselves to look forward to a clash between the two sides to decide which would return to the top division after an absence of four years and one, respectively.

Fans of Granada and Elche, two clubs with considerably less top-flight pedigree, might have countered that their sides finished the season higher than the Galicians and the Leonese. In the semifinals of the promotion playoffs, Granada won a nervy encounter with Celta via a penalty shoot-out after missing two spot kicks in normal time, and Elche overturned a two-goal deficit against Valladolid to squeeze through to the final. Between them, Granada and Elche have played 57 seasons without a minute of Primera División soccer. It is 35 years since the city that hosts the world-famous Alhambra palace has been the venue for a top-flight match. Elche, a town in the Valencian interior famed for its palm groves, will see its 38,750-capacity stadium filled for a league one match for the first time in 22 years if it achieves promotion.

Granada's bid for Primera status is the more remarkable: Elche has been a stable Segunda side since its 1999 promotion from the third tier, whereas Granada was in the fourth as recently as 2005-06 and was elevated to Segunda just last season. However, Granada's astronomical rise is not entirely based on the fruit of the club's own development, but rather on the largesse of Udinese owner Giampaolo Pozzo and his close relationship with his opposite number Quique Pina.

The Serie A side, which has an inordinate number of players on its books, loaned an entire team to Granada for 2010-2011, including prolific Swiss-born striker Alexandre Geijo, who netted 24 league goals during the season.

"It is very important," said Pina of Granada's deal with Udinese. "We have an agreement with them that allows us to enjoy players of great quality on a loan basis. If we go up, we may be able to keep some of them and if not, some will have to leave because they have offers from the Primera División."

Elche, though, has no such recourse and relies heavily on the midfield wiles of former Barcelona youth player David Sánchez and the goals of ex-Tenerife striker Ángel Rodríguez, although the Exocet-style free-kicks of full-back Edu Albácar were crucial in the team's win over Valladolid.

"We are true to our style, which is very well-defined. It is not the moment for great changes because we are where we are because of that. If there is any change, it will be a small tactical aspect," Elche coach Pepe Bordalás said in an interview with RTVE, in which Granada boss Fabri González also participated.

González, though, holds a different view of how "well-defined" Elche is. "It's a very compact, guerrilla-like side that plays to the limits of the rulebook. If we get a referee who allows scheming and time-wasting, it could benefit the opposition because that's how they play."

The first match of the two-legged tie takes place on Wednesday night (GolTV/Canal+, 9pm) at Granada's Los Cármenes stadium, and the club has asked all local public and private companies to let its employees out early to fill it to the rafters. The return leg on Saturday will have more than double the capacity, leading Elche to offer free tickets to students and the unemployed.

Granada lost just twice at home during the regular season but suffered on the road, winning just three outside Andalusia. Elche won six away matches and only lost three at home, but struggled for goals, racking up the lowest tally in the division's top 10, 55, just nine more than relegated Salamanca. However, it also conceded fewest in Segunda, 42, two fewer than champions Real Betis.