Las Palmasvs.Barcelona

Barcelona currently top the La Liga table, ahead of second-placed Real Madrid due to their superior head-to-head record, while Las Palmas are down in 17th, level on points with 18th-placed Valencia.

Match preview

Las Palmas have a record of six wins, five draws and 13 defeats from their 24 La Liga matches this season, with a total of 23 points leaving them in 17th spot, level on points with 18th-placed Valencia and just one ahead of Alaves in 19th.

Diego Martinez's side are in worrying form, picking up just one point from their last six league matches, while they have lost their last three against Girona, Villarreal and Mallorca to slide down the division.

Pio Pio have not actually been victorious in Spain's top flight since before the winter break, and at that stage, the team were in excellent form, including a 2-1 success over Barcelona in the reverse match.

Los Amarillos are struggling for results at this moment in time, while they have only picked up 13 points from their 12 home league matches this season, which is among the worst records in the division.

Barcelona, meanwhile, have the best away record in La Liga this season, securing 27 points from 13 games, and Hansi Flick's side will head into this game full of confidence due to their recent form.

The Catalan giants moved to the top of the La Liga table on Monday night courtesy of a 1-0 success over Rayo Vallecano, with Robert Lewandowski netting the only goal of the contest to secure a vital three points.

Barcelona and Real Madrid both have 51 points to show from their 24 league matches this season, but the former are at the summit due to their superior head-to-head record, while Atletico Madrid in third are just a point behind.

Flick's side have won each of their last four games in La Liga, while they are unbeaten in their last 12 games in all competitions dating back to before the winter break, when they suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Atletico.

Barcelona are chasing a treble this season, breezing into the knockout round of the Champions League, while they will face Atletico in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final next week.

The Catalan side have not actually lost an away game against Las Palmas since February 1991, while they have not been beaten by Saturday's opponents at Estadio Gran Canaria in Spain's top flight since February 1986.

Las Palmas La Liga form:

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Barcelona La Liga form:

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Barcelona form (all competitions):

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Team News

Las Palmas will welcome former Barcelona attacker Sandro Ramirez back into their squad this weekend, with the Spaniard serving the suspension that ruled him out of the clash against Mallorca last time out.

Dario Essugo should also be back after a ban of his own, but Scott McKenna will sit this game out through suspension, while Marvin Park, Fabio Silva, Marc Cardona and Adnan Januzaj are all major fitness doubts.

Las Palmas will also once again be without the services of influential midfielder Kirian Rodriguez, as the Spaniard is out for the remainder of the campaign after suffering a cancer relapse.

Barcelona, meanwhile, will again be missing Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal and Marc-Andre ter Stegen due to injury problems, but Fermin Lopez will return to the squad after missing out against Rayo through suspension.

Ronald Araujo passed a fitness test to make the bench against Rayo, and the Uruguay international could now be introduced into the starting side, while Jules Kounde is set to return at right-back.

Frenkie de Jong has worked his way back into favour under Flick, and it is likely that the Dutchman will again start in midfield, with Dani Olmo and Marc Casado expected to be on the bench for the first whistle.

Las Palmas possible starting lineup:

Cillessen; Rozada, Suarez, Pelmard, Marmol; Loiodice, Bajcetic; Sandro, Munoz, Moleiro; McBurnie

Barcelona possible starting lineup:

Szczesny; Kounde, Araujo, I Martinez, Balde; De Jong, Pedri; Raphinha, Gavi, Yamal; Lewandowski

We say: Las Palmas 0-2 Barcelona

Las Palmas are seeking their first home league success over Barcelona since 1986, but we are finding it very difficult to back the hosts to pick up a positive result here, with Barcelona's additional quality likely to lead to them securing a routine three points on Saturday evening.

Written by

Matt Law

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