Las Palmas vs. Barcelona: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
Las Palmas desperately need three points against champions Barcelona to pull themselves clear of the relegation dogfight.
A win could see Quique Setien's side climb as high as 15th in the La Liga table, which would look a whole lot healthier than their current third-from-bottom placing.
A performance akin to the one that the Canary Islanders gave at Camp Nou earlier in the season would be just the ticket again here, and roared on by a boisterous local crowd, who's to say they can't achieve it?
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Luis Enrique isn't under any illusions, noting in his pre-match press conference, per Barca's official site:
"Las Palmas are a tough opponent. It will be difficult take the ball off them, and there will times where it will be tough.
The three teams (at the top of the league) are capable of slipping up at any moment. Neither the players nor the staff believe that the league is over.
"
A win for the Catalans would keep them sitting pretty at the summit and six points ahead of their nearest rivals Atletico Madrid as a minimum.
With the Madrid derby just a week away, if Barca can keep the status quo on an even keel until then, they can potentially move even further ahead if that particular result goes their way also.
Hence the need to keep a level head and take each game as it comes. Las Palmas may be in the relegation zone, but bottom-placed Levante certainly made life difficult for Enrique's men just a couple of weeks ago.
Missing Sergio Busquets is a big blow for the visitors but aside from his and Gerard Pique's omission and Rafinha Alcantara's long-term injury, Barca are at full strength, but the hosts could have as many as eight players unavailable.
Per betinf.com, Mubarak Wakaso is suspended while Hernan, Daniel and Javi Castellano, Angel Montoro and Jose Vicente Gomez are definitely out. Jonathan Viera and David Simon could yet make the starting lineup.
Date: Saturday, February 20
Time: 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET
Venue: Estadio Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain
TV Info: Sky Sports red button from 5.15 p.m (Highlights, UK only)/beIN Sports 1 (US only)
Live Stream: beIN Sports Connect (US only)
Form Lines
Predicted Formations
The hosts will set up with a usual 4-1-4-1 formation allowing Barca space in certain areas of the pitch but keeping the two banks of four compact and mobile.
The lion's share of work will fall to Nabil El Zhar and Momo as they shuttle down the lines in support of both attack and defence.
Ex-Barca B striker and the player responsible for scoring the goal that got Las Palmas promoted, Sergio Araujo, will lead the line against his former club.
He could find some success against Barca's 4-3-3 and a central defensive pairing of Thomas Vermaelen and Marc Bartra.
Neither player has looked particularly comfortable in play recently, and if the young Argentinian can play off of the shoulder of the last defender and keep a consistent pressing game throughout, he may benefit.
Jordi Alba returns to give the Blaugrana some much-needed width on the left side, Dani Alves taking up arms on the opposite side.
Viera and Tana will ensure that the hosts are competitive in midfield against Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic, whilst Roque Mesa will give a patchwork back four the cover they need against Neymar, Suarez and Messi.
David Garcia, Aythami, Pedro Bigas and Javier Garrido have the unenviable task of stopping the best front three in the world from adding to their goals tally.
Last line of defence is Javi Varas, Claudio Bravo his opposite number.
Player to Watch
Jonathan Viera has done remarkably well in an underperforming Las Palmas side.
From his slightly deeper midfield standpoint, he's still managed to find the net on five occasions while assisting for three more.
No one in the side can boast those numbers, and although they're modest at best, it still evidences the player's ability to get in the right place at the right time.
Ivan Rakitic will need to be careful not to venture too far forward in support of Barca's attacking trio because Viera will exploit the space left behind.
Able to drift left and right with ease, Viera needs to try and get the passing carousels going from the opening exchanges.
Along with Momo, Araujo and Tana, the quartet can pass Javier Mascherano out of the game if they get their short, sharp passes on point.
Doing so is vital to the hosts' aspirations as they look to exert as much pressure as possible on the visitors' back line.
At 29 years old, Viera has the experience to be able to cope with the big occasion, and as he showed in the reverse fixture earlier in the season, he knows where the goal is.
On that occasion, his goal was nothing more than a late consolation. An earlier strike in this game could set things up nicely.
Key Battle
Marc Bartra has been at sixes and sevens when he's been handed defensive responsibility by Luis Enrique recently.
For all the times the La Masia starlet has been talked up as potentially the next big thing, the standards he has shown have justified Enrique's decision to keep him benched, utilising only when absolutely necessary.
In leaving Pique at home ready for the Champions League game at Arsenal on Tuesday, it has opened the door for Bartra to get another 90 minutes under his belt.
He'll not get a moment's peace from Sergio Araujo, however.
Although the striker's return has been poor—WhoScored.com note his contribution as three goals and three assists from 23 games of which six were as substitute—he is a busy player who is always involved.
If he senses that Bartra isn't remaining calm under pressure, there are possibilities for the centre-forward.
His pace isn't in question, and he'll beat the centre-back in a foot race given half a chance; he's also adept at shielding the ball in tight situations and bringing his colleagues into play.
Alongside Vermaelen, Bartra absolutely has to nail it this time because his opportunities to impress are becoming more limited by the week.
Odds
Las Palmas win 12-1
Barcelona win 1-5
Draw 6-1
Pre-match odds courtesy of Odds Shark.
