Barcelona vs. Las Palmas: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
Barcelona welcome newly promoted Las Palmas to Camp Nou after the most chastening experience of Luis Enrique's managerial career at the club.
Celta Vigo taught the Catalans a lesson in high-pressing, counter-attacking football on Wednesday. Man for man, the Galicians were better right across the pitch, and that has to be a worry for Enrique.
It is the third time in nine games Barca have conceded four goals, per WhoScored.com, Marc-Andre ter Stegen now having shipped 13 goals in six matches.
By contrast, it was October 25 last year before Barca even let one goal in, against Real Madrid in the first Clasico of the season.
Perhaps the marquee names in the Barca squad thought a recent good record at Balaidos would hold them in good stead and underestimation of their opponents caught them cold.
How else do you explain such lethargy and disinterest from the reigning champions?
They won't make the same mistake again. Las Palmas themselves have already shown their hand and will also cause Barca problems given the opportunity.
Date: Saturday, September 26
Time: 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
TV Info: Sky Sports Red Button (UK—highlights only) / beIN Sports 1 (U.S. only)
Live Stream: beIN Sports Connect (U.S. only)
Form Lines
| Barcelona | Las Palmas |
| L 1-4 vs. Celta Vigo | W 2-0 vs. Sevilla |
| W 4-1 vs. Levante | L 0-1 vs. Rayo Vallecano |
| D 1-1 vs. AS Roma | D 3-3 vs. Celta Vigo |
| W 2-1 vs. Atletico Madrid | D 0-0 vs. Levante |
| W 1-0 vs. Malaga | L 0-1 vs. Atletico Madrid |
| W 1-0 vs. Athletic Club de Bilbao | W 4-2 vs. MAT Tetouan |
Predicted Formations
Las Palmas manager Paco Herrera has flirted with a couple of formations this season but all have been on the defensive side.
A 5-4-1 that was utilised at the Vicente Calderon almost paid dividends, and you'd be hard-pressed to think Herrera would divert from the same, making life as difficult as possible for the hosts.
If Sergio Araujo is getting no joy as the lone front man, the visitors could revert to a 5-3-2.
Las Palmas will work hard as they did against Atletico, Celta Vigo and Sevilla. The single loss from those three fixtures is not down to sheer luck.
The central back three of Pedro Bigas, Antolin Alcaraz and Aythami have been as secure as can be for the most part, and Luis Suarez will need to work overtime in the middle to ensure he gets any reward from this one.
When teams crowd Lionel Messi, we see just how difficult it becomes for Barca's talisman to operate at his optimum level. If Las Palmas can minimise the gaps between the lines, we could see another inefficient performance the Argentinian.
Defensively, Barca are at sixes and sevens. It's worth recalling they haven't really had a settled back four throughout this season, but the quality they possess in the back line should've ensured a much higher standard than there has been.
Gerard Pique looked incredibly casual at Balaidos and was punished for his insouciance. Could we see a repeat of this time last year, when Luis Enrique left him benched for a time?
Ivan Rakitic has had to warm a seat in the last couple of matches, Lucho continuing to show his staff who's boss. He won't think twice if certain players continue to underperform.
To that end, Ter Stegen can consider himself very lucky that Claudio Bravo is injured. Once the Chilean is fit again, the German will be demoted back to being the cup 'keeper. In reality, he can have no complaints because he hasn't justified a regular selection.
With such a defensive setup, Herrera might see this as a damage-limitation exercise and try to hit Barca on the break if they continue to push too high up the pitch.
Dani Castellano and David Simon will get forward as often as play will allow, and decent service from the wide areas is imperative if the Canary Islanders want to spring another surprise.
Jeremy Mathieu hardly covered himself in glory in place of Jordi Alba against Celta, and should the latter not pass a fitness test, expect to see Adriano Correia given the nod.
Player to Watch
Sergio Araujo joined Barca B on loan from Boca Juniors in 2012 looking to emulate compatriot Lionel Messi.
His two goals in the Mini Clasico against Real Madrid Castilla that season certainly had the media excited. Javier Estepa of Marca noted:
"Several media outlets in Argentina have reported on Sergio Araujo's convincing performances, giving him headlines such as 'Ole', and calling him 'Messi B' after wreaking so much havoc for Madrid's defenders that even Messi himself would have been proud.
"
Unfortunately for both player and club, that was as good as things got for him in Blaugrana.
However, now three years older, Araujo is turning into the player many thought he could be.
Already a hero for scoring the 85th-minute goal against Real Zaragoza that saw Las Palmas gain promotion back to La Liga, Araujo has been the team's most decisive performer since the club's return to the top flight with one goal and two assists, per WhoScored.com.
Two yellow cards evidences that Araujo hasn't lost any of the South American passion, and he will likely run himself into the ground to prove Barca were wrong to let him go.
He needs to be tightly marked to ensure he doesn't replicate the damage another Barca old boy, Nolito, did in midweek.
Key Battle
This match could turn into a tale of two Danis: Alves and Castellano.
Both play as wing-backs for their respective teams and are more often found supporting attacks than performing their primary roles of defending.
Castellano struggled against Atletico Madrid in the season opener but has been, in general terms, one of the success stories in a topsy-turvy start for the Islanders. Keeping Sevilla's highly rated Vicente Iborra quiet is no easy task, but Castellano managed to do so with aplomb in the midweek victory over the Andalusian outfit.
Alves' positioning is as woeful as ever, and he was squarely at fault for Nolito's goal on Wednesday. Without taking away from the quality of the strike, had Alves been stationed in the correct part of the pitch, Nolito would not have had anywhere near as much time on his hands to measure the finish.
In any event, a big performance is required, and Alves can generally be relied upon to take the fight to the opposition when the going gets tough.
His partnership with Lionel Messi needs rekindling, and when better to do so than against a team that has had to make a journey of some 2,400 kilometres to arrive at the match.
Castellano can make a name for himself at Camp Nou for all of the right reasons, but he will need to be at his best to contain an effervescent Alves.
Odds
The following pre-match odds are available, per Odds Shark.
Barcelona win: 2/25
Las Palmas win: 479/20
Draw: 224/25
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