This Thursday, UD Las Palmas will face an important match to consolidate its presence in LaLiga EA Sports against FC Barcelona who are looking to return to the Peninsula with a nervous start to January. The yellows have a complicated agenda this January as on January 7 they have a Copa del Rey tie in Tenerife.
The analyst and expert in data supply chains, Nehemiah Dortarecalled that this Thursday “the third team of LaLiga EA Sports will play ball possession (58.5%) against a FC Barcelona than the first, with 64.7%“. Las Palmas is in third place in the Primera in terms of successful passes (8,401) against FC Barcelona, second with 9,766.
The match at the Gran Canaria Stadium will be the first between UD Las Palmas and FC Barcelona since the arrival of the ex-azulgrana Xavi García Pimienta going to the island bench. The Canarian group shows with Pimienta the traditional island quarry touch game technique and that always wooed the Peninsula. “He the first third of the field is the UD work table Las Palmas,” said Dorta.
Barça usually do not do well in league visits to the island, with 17 losses in 34 games, although they are unbeaten at the new stadium of Gran Canaria (two wins and one draw). The key: The two strong teams with the ball but suffering without it; Possession of the ball can tip the balance.
Dorta remembered that UD Las Palmas is the 19th team in the Primera in shots taken (134) against FC Barcelona, with 230. The Canarian team is also 19th in LaLiga EA Sports with 15 goals against FC Barcelona, who are fourth, with 34 goals.
Besides, UD Las Palmas is the second team with the fewest goals conceded (15) while FC Barcelona are eighth with 21. Las Palmas are ranked 19th in headed goals with FC Barcelona having six this season in LaLiga EA Sports. “UD Las Palmas occupies the 20th position in the percentage of good crosses (19.6) and FC Barcelona is the first in the leader of LaLiga EA Sports, with 28.1,” he highlights.
For Nehemías Dorta, in accordance with previous data, the FC Barcelona“with more or less success, he has focused his assets on creating goal-scoring games, It is the team that handles the most balls in the last two-thirds of the field and the second most that do so in the opposition area.“. However, in UD Las Palmas it does not happen. “It’s far away has the most possession in the first third of the field but the third least in LaLiga EA Sports possession in the opponent’s areal”.
Why is this happening? “Because many of the UD possessions aim to defend with the ball. The less the opponent has the ball, the less damage they can do to you.” Dorta added that “the games where UD had the worst time were the games where the opponent. “He rushes out to press and keep the ball away from him as much as possible.” (Osasuna, Deportivo Alavés, Athletic Club) because “the general tone is defend with the ball and that is why it is the second team that concedes the fewest goals” he repeated.
Dorta remembered that Iñaki Peña averages 23.8 passes per game. Álvaro Valles, almost double (41.1). In both teams the goalkeeper is the first player to serve the ball, “but at UD the goalkeeper’s influence extends even further,” he added.
What is played. Seven points away from the leaders Real Madrid and Girona is big for a team, that of Xavi Hernández, who cannot afford a setback if they want to be a real alternative in the second round of the championship.
The first half of the league will end this Thursday exactly at clash between canaries and catalans. When they take to the pitch of a packed Gran Canaria, Barça will know what Madrid and Girona did on Wednesday, against Mallorca and Atlético de Madrid, respectively.
In front of him he will have a dangerous rival, not only because of his casual way of understanding football, but because of his comfortable sorting, in the middle of the tablecloser to the European positions than the relegation zone.
Las Palmas, with some players with a past at Barça in their squad such as Mika Mármol, Marc Cardona, Sandro or Muniris completing a good season though He will not be able to count on right back Julián Araujo this Thursdayon loan from the Blaugrana, and attacker Alberto Moleiro will doubtwithout recovering from the dislocation of his right shoulder he suffered in the match against Cádiz.
Yes Kirian Rodríguez will be availableafter serving a suspension match in San Mamés against Athletic (1-0), with an overtime defeat in the clash that closed in 2023 for the yellows, as well as central defender Saúl Cocowith permission to play this match before joining the Equatorial Guinea team to play in the Africa Cup.
Pending the registration of striker Vitor Roque in LaLiga, Barcelona will be reunited with an old acquaintance, García Pimienta, who For two decades, he coached at La Masia before taking charge of UD Las Palmas in January 2022..
Despite thirteen points separating the Barça team in the classificationfourth, of the yellow team, tenth, both teams share a commitment to connecting and offensive football that will convert the battle for possession of the ball is important.
This Thursday in Gran Canaria, Barcelona will face the first match of the year and the last part of the first round marked by defensive fragility and the low scoring effectiveness, the two aspects that certainly lifted Xavi Hernández’s team to LaLiga and the Spanish Super Cup last year.
To alleviate this lack of scoring, the striker brought forward his arrival Vitor Roque. Although the Brazilian is not yet registered with LaLiga EA Sports, Xavi confirmed on Thursday in a press conference that he will be called up and is confident he will be available.
After saying goodbye to 2023 with a win as good as tight against Almería (3-2), under LaLiga EA Sports, thanks to a set piece and a double from captain Sergi Roberto, the The Barça team hopes to rediscover the style preached by their coach and also improve their services at home.
He Barcelona have not won a game as a visitor since November 4. (1-1) and Valencia (1-1) in the domestic championship.
Only counting away games, the Barça added 14 of the 24 points at stake in LaLiga, the fourth best balance in the competition, with 13 goals for and 10 against. On the other hand, Barça is the second team to add the most points at home, 24 out of 30, with 21 goals for and 11 matches.
Regarding the match against Almería, Xavi will bring back Frenkie de Jong after serving a one-match suspension and the Dutchman is expected to return directly to the starting lineup in a midfield where Gündogan seems unmoved. The remaining position is contested between Oriol Romeu, Fermín López and Sergi Roberto.
For the rest, some new developments are expected in the starting eleven. Ferran Torres can discuss Joao Félix’s place on the left side of the attack, while in the axis of the defense Andreas Christensen will play for the spot with Jules Koundé. Another unknown is whether Joao Cancelo and Alejandro Balde will combine themselves as a pair of full-backs at the expense of the French defender.
Also, Xavi still cannot rely on the injured Marcos Alonso, Iñigo Martínez, Gavi, Pedri and Ter Stegen, so he has to go to the reserve team to complete the announcement.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
