2) Granada
Another familiar specialist, Granada was able to secure survival only on the penultimate matchday of this season.
This season was the fifth consecutive time that Granada have avoided the fall, bettering their last season and deciding their fate with one game to go instead of taking it to the very last.
Till February, the Nazaries were heading to what seemed like a rock bottom finish having registered only five wins but never looked back after the managerial shift in the form of Jose Gonzalez. They went on an impressive 6-game unbeaten run at home before suffering a defeat at the hands of champions Barcelona in the last match of the season.
Granada have been finishing 16th, 17th, 15th, 15th and 17th in their last five seasons, always managing to survive against all odds. Their secret has been in changing the management each season in the second half.
They did so in 2012, appointing Abel Resino, repeated it with bringing in Lucas Alcarez which worked for two seasons and then continued the ‘tradition’ by bringing in Jose Ramon Sandoval followed by Gonzalez in the seasons to come.
This system of showing the door may be frowned upon by many, but seems to be working for Granada year after year.
