On Saturday, February 20, Las Palmas UD hosts FC Barcelona in a Spanish Primera Division week 25 fixture. The game will be played at the Estadio de Gran Canaria in the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and will kick off at 15:00 BST.
The hosts are currently 18th on the league table with 21 points from 24 games, while the visitors are top of the standings with 60 points from 24 games.
A win for the newly promoted side can see them rise to 15th on the table, while a defeat can see them drop to 19th place. The treble holderswill retain their position at the summit of the league regardless of the outcome of this fixture.
Las Palmas one season stint?The Canary Island club, which only recently got promoted back to the top flight, is in grave danger of spending one season among the elite, as they currently lie in the relegation zone. A return of just 5 league wins in 24 attempts has seen them pick up just 21 points, and they will need to buckle up, if they are to prevent an immediate return to the Spanish Segunda division.
The underdogs, managed by Quique Setin are in very poor form, with one win and four defeats in their last five games in all competitions. This single win was against Celta de Vigo in the league (2-1 on January 31).
The Yellows have recently lost league games against Levante (3-2 on January 25), Rayo Vallecano (2-0 on February 6), and Sevilla (2-0 on February 14). They also lost the second leg of their Spanish Cup tie against Valencia (0-1 on January 28).
Unstoppable BarcelonaSince their defeat to Sevilla on October 3, Barcelona has recorded 25 wins and 6 draws in their 31 games played, and have already surpassed the club’s previous record of unbeaten games. With a 6 point cushion in the league, and a Spanish Cup final date against Sevilla, many people are already tipping them to win the treble for the second consecutive season.
The Catalans, managed by Luis Enrique, are in very good form, with four wins, and one draw in their last five games in all competitions. Their wins include league victories against Levante (0-2 on February 7), Celta Vigo (6-1 on February 14), and Sporting Gijon (1-3 on February 17). They also thrashed Valencia in the first leg of their Spanish Cup tie (7-0 on February 3).
The only recent game which the title favorites have failed to win was the draw in the reverse leg of their Spanish Cup tie with Valencia (1-1 on February 10).
Las Palmas are without a clean sheet in their last 14 games, and you sense goalkeeper Javi Varas, will need to exceed all expectations, if he is to help his team defy the odds and get a positive result from this game. With 11 goals in his last 6 games; Barcelona’s center forward Luis Suarez comes into this game in devastating form, as he continues his sprint towards the Spanish golden boot. He will be looking for a couple of goals against one of the weaker teams in the division.
It will take something special to curtail this Barcelona team, and this Las Palmas team, on a run of 1 win in their last 7 games, is far from special. Barcelona to win this game by a comfortable margin.
