Las Palmas will look to make it three wins in a row in the league when they host second-placed Real Madrid.
Things might not have gone according to plan for Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey round of 16 but they bounced back with a win over Almeria and will now look to win away from home against Las Palmas.
The home team are currently eighth in the league with with 31 points out of their 21 matches. It has been a great first half of the season for Las Palmas and they would love to carry on in a similar fashion. They will be looking for their 10th win in the league when they square up against the men in white.
After suffering three consecutive defeats in all competitions, Las Palmas have turned things around and have now won back-to-back matches heading into this one. Their last outing was an easy 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano. The home team dominated the ball and came out on top with ease. They will be hoping for something similar against Los Blancos.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid have been a consistent performer in the league. They might be a point behind league leaders Girona but they have a game in hand. They have accumulated 51 points having won 16 out of their 20 matches. Carlo Ancelotti’s men have only suffered two defeats so far in the 2023-24 season.
Both their defeats have come at the hands of Atletico Madrid. Their recent defeat saw them get knocked out of the Copa del Rey but they have bounced back with an incredible comeback win over Almeria. While a lot of controversies arose post that match, Madrid have the three points in their bag and they are worried about the next three at this stage.
While there is a big difference in the quality of both the squad, Las Palmas are still expected to put up a great fight. Meanwhile, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Las Palmas
Las Palmas do not have any fresh injury concerns but they will be without the services of Julian Araujo who is serving a suspension. Daley Sinkgraven is a doubt for this outing because of illness. Meanwhile, the availability of Alvaro Lemos and Eric Curbelo will be subject to a late fitness test.
The home team will go ahead with the 4-5-1 formation where Álvaro Valles will be in goal. Alex Suarez and Sergi Cardona will be the two full-backs. They will look to help out their centre-back partnership of Mika Mármol and Juanma Herzog.
Munir El Haddadi and Alberto Moleiro will feature out wide on the flanks. The duo will look to provide width to their attack and use their abilities on the ball to create goal-scoring chances.
Maximo Perrone and Javier Munoz will start alongside Kirian Rodriguez in a more central role. The trio will look to ensure they do not allow the Madrid midfielders to dominate the proceedings. Meanwhile, Sandro Ramirez will be leading the line for the home team.
Probable Lineup (4-5-1): Valles; Suarez, Herzog, Marmol, S Cardona; El Haddadi, Munoz, Perrone, K Rodriguez, Moleiro; Sandro
Real Madrid
Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao, and David Alaba are all nursing long-term injuries and unavailable for this fixture. Apart from the trio, there are no fresh injury concerns for Los Blancos.
But, they will be without their top scorer Jude Bellingham who will be serving a suspension after picking up another yellow against Almeria.
Ancelotti will not be making any changes in formation, it will be the 4-4-2 with a diamond in the centre of the park. Kepa Arrizabalaga will continue in goal. Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy have done well as a full-back pairing and they will once again start.
In the heart of the defence, Antonio Rudiger will start alongside Nacho Fernandez who has faced a lot of criticism of late. The back four will look for another clean sheet.
Aurelien Tchouameni will start as the defensive midfielder and he will have the support of Federico Valverde as well as Toni Kroos. With Bellingham unavailable, Brahim Diaz will be the attacking midfielder. He will start in behind the attacking duo of Rodrygo Goes and Vinicius Junior.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Kepa; Carvajal, Rudiger, Nacho, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Kroos; Diaz; Rodrygo, Vinicius
Key Stats
- Real Madrid have only lost two games in the 2023-24 season and both defeats have come at the hands of Atletico Madrid.
- Las Palmas have an average of a goal a game having scored only 21 in as many league games.
- The home team have the second-best defence in the league having conceded just 17 goals.
- Real Madrid have the best defence in the league having conceded just 13 goals and they are the second-highest-scoring team with 43 goals in 20 outings.
- Even a draw will help Carlo Ancelotti’s team claim the top spot in the league as they have a better head-to-head record against Girona.
Player to Watch
Vinicius Junior
With Bellingham unavailable, all eyes will be on Vinicius Junior. Every Madrid fan will expect him to step up and get the job done against Las Palmas. The 23-year-old Brazilian sensation has been a bit inconsistent so far but he is still one of the most important forwards in the team and Ancelotti will surely bank on him.
The Brazil international has featured in 18 matches this season and has contributed towards 14 goals. He has found the back of the net on 10 occasions so far and will surely hope to add to it when he takes the field against the home team.
Prediction
Las Palmas 0-2 Real Madrid
Las Palmas’ success this season has been built on a rock-solid defence. They haven’t been scoring enough goals and won’t find it easy to get on the scoresheet against the team in white. The home team will be focused on keeping things tight at the back. But, they might not have enough in their tank to stop the likes of Diaz, Rodrygo and Vinicius. As a result, The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for the visitors.