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Sevilla's Champions League hopes hit by Granada draw

By Tim Hanlon BARCELONA (Reuters) - Sevilla’s Champions League hopes suffered a blow as they were held to 1-1 La Liga draw by lowly Granada, whose defender Diego Mainz scored at both ends on Sunday. Fresh from holding Barcelona to a draw last weekend and then beating Zenit St Petersburg in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie, Sevilla took on Granada aiming to draw level with fourth-placed Valencia. They dominated the early stages but second-from-bottom Granada took the lead from their first real threat with an unmarked Mainz directing a header past keeper Sergio Rico from a corner after 16 minutes. Granada grew in confidence and an unsettled Sevilla almost conceded again when Diogo Figueiras’ clearance came back off his own post. Carlos Bacca posed Sevilla’s main threat going forward with his pace and movement but he failed to make the most of his chances and they were reliant on Mainz turning an Aleix Vidal cross past his own keeper Roberto Fernandez after 69 minutes. “From the start with the first opening for Vitolo, which was a great chance, until the last, we have tried to win,” Sevilla coach Unai Emery told reporters. “We came into the game on the back of a tense match last Thursday but we played with the idea of getting a good result for the Sevilla fans who travelled. “We will continue to do our best and we are ambitious. We still have options (to qualify for the Champions League) although obviously a victory would have been better for us.” Sevilla, in fifth, have 63 points, 11 more than sixth-placed Villarreal who drew 0-0 with bottom club Cordoba. Cordoba are on 20 points and Granada, a place above, are on 25 points. Villarreal were denied twice by the woodwork in another disappointing attacking display and they have now gone six games without a win in La Liga, scoring just one goal in that run. Joel Campbell hit a 25-yard drive that cracked against the crossbar after five minutes and midway through the first half Gerard Moreno also saw a fierce shot from the edge of the area come back off the bar. Leaders Barcelona beat Valencia 2-0 on Saturday and hold a two-point advantage over Real Madrid, who defeated Malaga 3-1. (Editing by Pritha Sarkar)