La Liga's basement side Real Valladolid will be bidding to record just their third league success of the 2024-25 campaign when they head to Las Palmas on Saturday afternoon.
Real Valladolid have only picked up nine points from 15 games this term to sit bottom of the La Liga table, while Las Palmas are 14th, having only managed 15 points from their opening 15 matches of the season.
Match preview
© Imago
Las Palmas boast a record of four wins, three draws and eight defeats from their 15 league matches this season, which has left them in 14th spot in the table on 15 points, just two points above the relegation zone.
Diego Martinez has overseen a huge change since becoming head coach at the start of October, winning six of his eight matches at the helm, with Los Amarillos managing to overcome their early-season struggles.
Pio Pio have been victorious in three of their last four matches in all competitions, including a stunning 2-1 success over Barcelona last weekend, and they followed that up with a 2-1 victory over Europa in the Copa del Rey.
Las Palmas have actually only picked up six points from their seven home league games this season, but Real Valladolid have struggled on their travels, losing six of their seven games.
La Union Deportiva are unbeaten against Real Valladolid since March 2012, meanwhile, but this will be the first meeting between the two sides since March 2022, when Las Palmas recorded a 2-1 victory at Estadio Jose Zorrilla in the Segunda Division.
© Imago
Real Valladolid sacked Paulo Pezzolano as head coach after the 5-0 home defeat to Atletico Madrid last weekend, with Alvaro Rubio placed in charge on a temporary basis.
Rubio guided the team to a 4-2 success over Real Avila in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday night, and the Spaniard will again be at the helm this weekend, as the club search for a permanent replacement for Pezzolano.
There is no getting away from the fact that it has been a tough season for the White and Violets, who are currently bottom of the La Liga table, picking up just nine points from their opening 15 matches of the campaign.
Real Valladolid have the worst defensive record in La Liga this term, conceding 32 times in their 15 matches, but it is not quite time to hit the panic button, as just four points separate them from 17th-placed Getafe.
The visitors have only picked up one point from their last five league games, but they have been victorious on their travels in Spain's top flight this term, beating Alaves in a five-goal thriller in the middle of October.
Team News
© Imago
Las Palmas will definitely be without the services of Adnan Januzaj on Saturday due to an ankle problem, while Daley Sinkgraven and Alex Munoz are both major doubts for the home side this weekend.
Head coach Martinez is likely to name the same side that took to the field for the first whistle against Barcelona last weekend.
There will be wholesale changes from the XI that featured in the Copa del Rey, with Oli McBurnie likely to find himself back on the bench on Saturday despite hitting a brace in the 2-1 success over Europa.
As for Real Valladolid, Selim Amallah is out of the contest with a muscular problem, but the visitors are otherwise in strong shape when it comes to their squad for this contest.
Juanmi Latasa was on the scoresheet in the Copa del Rey last time out, and there could now be a spot in the final third of the field for the Spaniard, while Cesar de la Hoz is also in line to start.
Marcos Andre netted a brace off the bench against Real Avila on Tuesday night, but the attacker is likely to be among the substitutes for the first whistle on Saturday afternoon.
Las Palmas possible starting lineup:
Cillessen; Rozada, Suarez, McKenna, Marmol; K Rodriguez, Campana; Sandro, Munoz, Moleiro; Silva
Real Valladolid possible starting lineup:
Hein; Perez, Bah, Comert, J Sanchez, Rosa; I Sanchez, De la Hoz, Perez, Moro; Latasa
We say: Las Palmas 2-1 Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid certainly have the players to make this a difficult match for Las Palmas, and we are expecting a close game in terms of the scoreline, but the hosts are in strong form and should have enough quality to secure all three points on Saturday afternoon.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
