Sevilla will be aiming to secure all three points in their 2024-25 La Liga opener on Friday evening, with Los Nervionenses heading to Estadio Gran Canaria to tackle Las Palmas.
The visitors finished 14th in Spain's top flight last season, while Las Palmas were 16th, with just one point separating the two teams in the division in 2023-24.
Match preview
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Las Palmas will be welcoming a familiar face back to Estadio Gran Canaria on Friday evening, as Garcia Pimienta left his role as head coach of Pio Pio at the end of last season to take charge of Sevilla.
Los Amarillos secured a return to La Liga by finishing second in the 2022-23 Segunda Division season, and they were then 16th in the top flight last term to make it back-to-back campaigns at this level of football.
Las Palmas were seven points clear of the relegation zone, and they will be a team to watch this term considering the incredible turnaround of players over the summer, with 12 arriving and 10 leaving, so there will be a fresh look to the squad during the 2024-25 campaign.
Luis Carrion is now in charge of the team, with the 45-year-old leaving Real Oviedo to move to the top-flight outfit, and he will be desperate to start his reign with a victory on Friday night.
Las Palmas played six times over the summer, including a goalless draw with Liverpool last Sunday, but their only pre-season victory was a 4-0 success over Union Sur Yaiza earlier this month.
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Sevilla were also last in action against Liverpool last weekend, suffering a 4-1 defeat to the Reds, but they beat a Premier League outfit in the shape of Fulham 2-1 earlier this month.
Los Nervionenses have had a difficult couple of seasons in Spain's top flight, finishing 12th and 14th in their last two campaigns, which has been a huge drop-off considering their regular presence in the top four of late.
Last season's 14th-placed finish represented their worst performance in La Liga since being relegated at the end of the 1999-2000 campaign, so there is huge room for improvement in the coming season.
Rojiblancos have also had a big turnaround in terms of players this summer, with Lucien Agoume and Kelechi Iheanacho among those to arrive, while Albert Sambi Lokonga and Saul Niguez have joined on loan from Arsenal and Atletico Madrid respectively.
Sevilla have dominated the recent meetings between these two sides, triumphing in their last seven encounters in Spain's top flight, including a 2-0 success in the corresponding fixture in 2023-24.
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Team News
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Las Palmas will be without the services of three players for their opening match of the new season, with Daley Sinkgraven and Pejino out alongside new signing Adnan Januzaj.
There are expected to be a number of debutants for the home side on Friday night, with Marvin Park, Manu Fuster and Jasper Cillessen all in line to be included from the first whistle.
Scott McKenna and Oli McBurnie have arrived from Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United respectively, meanwhile, and the pair are also expected to make their full debuts in this clash.
As for Sevilla, Suso remains out of action with a knee injury, while Lokonga is likely to be denied the chance to make his debut due to a hamstring problem.
Saul will also not be able to make his first appearance for the club on Friday, as the Spaniard is suspended due to the red card that he picked up in Atletico's last game of the 2023-24 campaign.
Agoume's loan move from Inter has been made permanent, so the 22-year-old is in line to make his official debut for the club in this clash, while Iheanacho is set to feature in the final third of the field.
Las Palmas possible starting lineup:
Cillessen; Park, Marmol, McKenna, A Suarez; Munoz, K Rodriguez, Campana, Fuster; Sandro, McBurnie
Sevilla possible starting lineup:
Nyland; Montiel, Bade, Nianzou, Pedrosa; Sow, Agoume, Gudelj; Ocampos, Iheanacho, Lukebakio
We say: Las Palmas 1-2 Sevilla
Las Palmas have not beaten Sevilla in the league since September 2015, which is an indication of the size of their task in this match. It would not be a shock to see a home win or a draw on Friday, but we just have a feeling that Sevilla will be able to navigate their way to all three points in their opening match of the season.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
