Las Palmas vs. Real Madrid: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info

It's inconsequential, it's the time slot they don't like and it's a long way to go. 

Appetising? Hardly.

For Real Madrid, Sunday's visit to Gran Canaria to take on Las Palmas will feel rather laborious. Involving a 4,000 km round trip to the archipelago off the coast of Africa, this is the length of excursion you associate with Champions League nights, but there are no high stakes here.

After Barcelona and Atletico Madrid's victories on Saturday, Madrid enter this clash 15 points behind their eternal rivals and seven behind those from across town. The title is unequivocally gone; Madrid, isolated in third place, will contest the final match of the weekend with little on the line. Pride? Maybe. Momentum? Perhaps.

Achieving that might be more difficult than it seems, though.

Recent outings at this time slot haven't gone well for Madrid. In January, a 2-2 draw with Valencia at Mestalla in the late Sunday kick-off ended the reign of Rafa Benitez; three weeks later, another stalemate late on Sunday with Real Betis saw the title drift away; two weeks after that, Madrid were forced into a Sunday-evening scrap by lowly Granada. 

Could Las Palmas inflict similar pain?

Quite possibly.

Set to welcome Madrid to the island for the first time in 15 years, Las Palmas couldn't be in better shape. After consecutive victories over Eibar and Getafe, Quique Setien's men ended Villarreal's 14-game unbeaten run last time out with a surprise 1-0 victory at El Madrigal. Before this three-game streak, they also made Barcelona sweat in a tense affair that ended 2-1.

Suddenly, Las Palmas look vibrant. In a reworked system, the Canary Islanders have taken on a new existence, their movement and passing crisp and their approach enterprising. Three victories in a stunning eight-day period have propelled them out of the relegation zone and given them a buffer; in this form, looking up rather than down isn't unthinkable. 

On Sunday, they'll also sense a Madrid lacking incentive might be vulnerable. Distracted. Not at it.  

"The important thing is to start the match well," said Zinedine Zidane, acknowledging exactly that in his pre-game press conference. "We know it will be a difficult game, like always, because they are going to use their weapons to get at Real Madrid."

Las Palmas will; they have nothing to lose.

Their opponents, meanwhile? They have nothing to gain. 

Match Details

Date: Sunday, March 13

Time: 7:30 p.m. GMT/3:30 p.m. EDT/8:30 p.m. local

Venue: Estadio Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain

TV Info: Sky Sports (UK), beIN Sports (U.S.)

Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), beIN Sports Connect (U.S.)

Form Lines

Las Palmas	Real Madrid
W: 1-0 vs. Villarreal	W: 2-0 vs. Roma
W: 4-0 vs. Getafe	W: 7-1 vs. Celta Vigo
W: 1-0 vs. Eibar	W: 3-1 vs. Levante
L: 1-2 vs. Barcelona	L: 0-1 vs. Atletico Madrid
L: 0-2 vs. Sevilla	D: 1-1 vs. Malaga
L: 0-2 vs. Rayo Vallecano	W: 2-0 vs. Roma

Team News

For Las Palmas, centre-back Aythami is expected to return after missing the clash with Villarreal and will slot in alongside Pedro Bigas. Flanking them in the full-back slots should be David Garcia and Javier Garrido.

In midfield, Roque Mesa returns after a one-game suspension and should reclaim his anchor role in a system that has trended toward a 4-1-4-1 in recent weeks. Montoro could also continue in midfield with Tana carrying a knock. Willian Jose should take his place up front once more. 

For Real Madrid, Danilo, Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema have been left out of their 19-man squad. 

Consequently, Dani Carvajal will come back into the side and reclaim his right-back post, while Raphael Varane is a chance to start ahead of Pepe in the middle of the back four. 

In midfield, Isco is expected to return after sitting out the midweek clash with Roma and could link up with Casemiro and Luka Modric in a three-man trio.

Up front, Gareth Bale will make his first start in La Liga for almost two months and should join Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez in a potent front three. 

Predicted Lineups

B/R UK

Odds (via Odds Shark)

Las Palmas: 6-1

Draw: 17-4

Real Madrid: 2-5