Las Palmas take on the visitors Barcelona in the round 19 match of Spanish LaLiga. The match will be played on Thursday, January 4th at Estadio de Gran Canaria (Las Palmas).
It's worth noting right away that for their level, budget, and the current squad, Las Palmas have been performing very well after returning to La Liga, currently occupying the ninth position in the table. In some ways, they resemble last year's Osasuna. There's no expectation of an easy stroll for the reigning champions at the Gran Canaria Stadium. However, I believe that Las Palmas, under the guidance of Xavi, can rattle the nerves of the visitors, but taking away points from Barcelona are unlikely. Las Palmas have suffered defeats to almost all teams in the upper part of the league table: Real Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, and Girona. In total, they have suffered seven losses in 18 matches, a significant number. Yes, six of them were away for the islanders, but they have already conceded one defeat at home to Rayo Vallecano (0-1).
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Barcelona was not in the best condition towards the end of the year, and this short break was much needed for the team. Injuries, other squad issues, playing on multiple fronts—all led to the Catalans frequently dropping points in La Liga where they shouldn't have. They are now seven points behind their historical rivals from Madrid and their neighbors from Girona. By the way, Xavi's team lost to Girona, but it was a case of simple bad luck; according to xG, Barcelona was significantly better than the opponent. Despite all the problems, things are not as bad for the Blaugrana as it might seem. The team reached the Champions League playoffs for the first time in recent years, with a victory over Atletico Madrid (1-0). The gap in the league table from the leaders, although substantial, is still manageable. In the last round before the break, Barcelona secured a challenging but crucial victory over Almeria (3-2). I believe the positive streak for the Catalans will continue with a victory over Las Palmas.
There will likely be many dissenters in the comments about this prediction. However, I won't invent anything special for this match and will play it simply—Barcelona to win (P2) based on class. It's unlikely that anyone will seriously argue that despite all their difficulties, Xavi's team is stronger than Las Palmas. With all due respect to the hosts, that's a fact. By the way, towards the end of the calendar year, the islanders also began to falter, unable to beat Cadiz at home (1-1) and losing to Athletic Bilbao (0-1). As for Barcelona's players, in my opinion, a short break in La Liga will benefit them. Those who were still in the infirmary have had a bit of additional time for recovery. Those who recently recovered and couldn't play at full strength have had time to regain form and catch the team's rhythm. My prediction is a victory for the away team. The Blaugranes cannot afford to lose points again and fall even further behind Girona and Real Madrid.
Prediction for the match: Barcelona to win.
