Real Madrid will look to build on their Copa del Rey win when they host 14th-placed Las Palmas at the Bernabeu on Sunday afternoon.
After getting hammered at the hands of Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, Real Madrid bounced back with a win over Celta Vigo and now they will be resuming their La Liga campaign with a home game against Las Palmas, who have done some great work in recent weeks.
Los Blancos are just a point behind league leaders Atletico Madrid, and they have a five-point advantage over third-placed Barcelona. The defending champions cannot afford any more slip-ups, and they will have to keep winning to stay in the mix for the league title.
While their Spanish Super Cup campaign did not go according to plan, they have won their last two league games and are heading into this one on the back of a win. They did secure a 5-2 win over Celta. However it was not really their best performance as they allowed the opposition back in the game.
Carlo Ancelotti’s team will be looking to put up a much better overall performance when they host Las Palmas. The visitors did not have the best of starts to the season, but an impressive run towards the end of 2024 saw them climb up the table.
The visitors are currently 14th on the table but have lost both their games in 2025 and are now gearing up for a massive challenge as they look to face one of the best teams in the division. Having defeated Barcelona towards the end of November, Las Palmas will fancy their chances against the team in white, even though it won’t be easy. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Real Madrid
Los Blancos will be without the services of Vinicius Junior, who is suspended for two league games. Luka Modric is also unavailable because of suspension. Meanwhile, Eduardo Camavinga has joined Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao on the sidelines. Fran Garcia’s availability will be assessed ahead of the game as he was forced off in the last outing.
Carlo Ancelotti will make a few changes to the starting eleven, with a few of his stars returning to the starting XI. Real Madrid will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against UD Las Palmas, with Thibaut Courtois in goal.
Lucas Vazquez and Ferland Mendy should be the full-backs, with Raul Asencio pairing up with Antonio Rudiger in the heart of the defence. Federico Valverde will partner Aurelien Tchouameni in the centre of the park. The duo will shield the backline and provide a stable base to their frontline to do the damage.
Jude Bellingham will feature as the number 10, while Brahim Diaz should fill in for Vinicius Junior on the left flank. Finally, Rodrygo Goes will take charge on the right while Kylian Mbappe will spearhead the Real Madrid attack against UD Las Palmas.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Vazquez, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Brahim; Mbappe
UD Las Palmas
The visitors will be without the services of Daley Sinkgraven and Viti, while Marvin Park and Jose Campana’s availability are a major doubt.
Las Palmas will most likely stick to the same XI that started in their last outing. Jasper Cillessen will take charge between the sticks in a 4-2-3-1 formation. In the heart of the defence, Scott McKenna will pair up with Alex Suarez. The duo will receive significant support from Juanma Herzog and Mika Marmol who will be the full-backs.
Kirian Rodriguez and the Real Madrid-linked Dario Essugo will form the double pivot in midfield. They will look to shield the backline and ensure Madrid do not dictate the pace of the game. In attack, Sandro Ramirez and Alberto Moleiro will feature on the flanks providing much-needed width to their attacks. Javier Munoz will reprise the no. 10 role, while Fabio Silva will be leading the line.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Cillessen; Herzog, Suarez, McKenna, Marmol; Essugo, K Rodriguez; Sandro, Munoz, Moleiro; Fabio Silva
Key Stats
- Real Madrid have won eight out of their nine games at the Bernabeu this season.
- Las Palmas have never defeated Los Blancos in their backyard.
- Diego Martinez has led the visitors to eight wins in 13 outings across competitions since taking charge.
- Las Palmas have avoided defeat in four out of their nine games away from home.
- The team in white failed to secure all three points in the reverse fixture as they were held to a 1-1 draw back in August.
Player to Watch
Jude Bellingham
Bellingham has been on fire in La Liga over the last few months. The English international has 11 goal contributions in his last eight league outings, and he will be eager to this incredible run going when he takes the field against Las Palmas. The youngster only had a 30-minute cameo in the Copa del Rey fixture, and he should be ready to go all out here.
Prediction
Real Madrid 3-0 UD Las Palmas
Real Madrid might have won a majority of their games, but they still have been quite inconsistent in terms of the performances they have put in. Los Blancos did get the job done against Celta Vigo, but they were not clinical enough. Carlo Ancelotti will demand a much-improved performance and Las Palmas might be at the receiving end.
The visitors did finish 2024 on a high, but they have lost each of their two games in the new year, and they might not be able to get the better of the reigning La Liga champions here. The Hard Tackle predicts an easy 3-0 win for the team in white.
