13th-placed Las Palmas will look to end their five-match losing streak in La Liga when they host third-placed Girona.
Girona might have been a bit inconsistent in the recent past but they are well-placed to secure a Champions League spot, and a win away from home against a struggling Las Palmas will further strengthen their position.
The home team have accumulated 37 points out of their 32 matches this term. They have won ten, drawn seven and lost 15 games this term. They have lost each of their last five league games, which has had a huge impact on their league position.
Las Palmas’s last win came back in February and since that win over Valencia, they have lost six and drawn two. They are heading into this one on the back of a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Celta Vigo. Despite having more of the ball, they were completely outplayed and will have to do a much better job against Girona if they want to end their losing streak.
Meanwhile, the visitors are third in the league. While they might no longer be in contention for the league title, securing a Champions League spot will be considered a huge result for them. Girona have accumulated 68 points in their 32 outings thanks to 21 wins and five draws.
The Catalan outfit have lost six matches this term, and five of those defeats have come in their last nine league outings. But, they are heading into this one on the back of a 4-1 win over Cadiz and will be hoping for a similar performance against Las Palmas. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
UD Las Palmas
Julian Araujo, who is on loan from Barcelona, is unavailable for this fixture with a hamstring problem. However, Las Palmas do have a boost as Marvin Park and Saul Coco are both back after serving their suspension last time out.
The home team will line up in a 4-5-1 formation, where Alvaro Valles will be in goal. The back four will be made up of Alex Suarez, Saul Coco, Mika Marmol, and Sergi Cardona. Suarez and Cardona will be the full-backs, while Coco and Marmol will feature in the heart of the defence.
Marvin Park and Munir El Haddadi will feature out wide on the flanks. They will provide the width to their attacks and also look to help out their full-backs. Meanwhile, Kirian Rodriguez, Javier Munoz, and Maximo Perrone will feature in the centre of the park. The trio will look to control the tempo of this fixture. Sandro Ramirez will be the one leading the line for them.
Probable Lineup (4-5-1): Valles; Suarez, Coco, Marmol, S Cardona; Park, Munoz, Perrone, Kirian Rodriguez, Munir; Sandro
Girona
The visitors will be without the services of Joel Roca, while the availability of Yangel Herrera, Viktor Tsyhankov, Cristhian Stuani, and Ricard Artero is a major doubt.
Girona will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Paulo Gazzaniga will take charge between the sticks. Eric Garcia and Miguel Gutierrez will be the full-backs, while David Lopez and Daley Blind will take charge in the heart of the defence. Aleix Garcia and Jhon Solis will form the double pivot in the centre of the park.
They will look to shield the back line and provide a base to attack from. Meanwhile, Yan Couto and Savio will feature on the flanks, giving width to their attacks, while Ivan Martin could be seen as an attacking midfielder in this fixture. Artem Dovbyk, who has been in red-hot form this season, will be leading the line for them.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Gazzaniga; Eric Garcia, David Lopez, Blind, Gutierrez; Solis, Aleix Garcia; Couto, Martin, Savio; Dovbyk
Key Stats
- Girona have lost five out of their last nine games in the league.
- Las Palmas have lost each of their last five league games.
- The home team have been winless in La Liga since February 11.
- Girona have lost each of their last five away games in the league.
- Las Palmas have an impressive home record this term having collected 22 points in their 16 outings.
Player to Watch
Savio
The 20-year-old Brazilian winger has had a sensational loan spell at Girona this term. He has been a consistent performer for them and has played a big part in their incredible run which could soon help them secure a spot in the Champions League.
Savio has featured in 35 matches across competitions for the Spanish club and has contributed towards 18 goals (10 goals & eight assists). The youngster has 16 goal contributions in the league, and he will be eager to add to it when he takes the field against Las Palmas.
Prediction
UD Las Palmas 1-2 Girona
While Girona have not been at their best in recent months and their recent away record is not good enough, they are still favourites for this fixture. Las Palmas’s record at home is quite good, but they have not won a game in the league for over two months and will not find it easy against the visitors, who have some high-quality players in their team. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the away team.
