Tonight’s late kickoff sees Real Madrid play Las Palmas at the Gran Canaria Stadium in the Canary Islands. While Real Madrid are effectively out of the title race, the Islanders still have a lot at stake as they seek to avoid relegation in their first season back in La Liga since 2001/02. A 3-game winning run means that they have momentum on their side, but do they have the spirit and the determination to last 90 minutes neck-to-neck with Zinedine Zidane’s side?
Kick-Off and Live Telecast
Channel: Sony ESPN
Kick-Off: Monday, 14th March – 0100 IST
Venue: Gran Canaria, Las Palmas
Team News
Las Palmas are short in the midfield department, as Javi Castellano, Wakaso Mubarak, Hernan and Vicente Gomez are all ruled out through injury. Tana remains doubtful with a knock.
Real Madrid have no new injury problems, with striker Karim Benzema the only member on the injury list.
Team Form
Wins over Getafe, Villareal and Eibar in succession have pulled Las Palmas clear of the relegation places for the moment. Midfielder Jonathan Viera and ex-Real Madrid striker Willian Jose have accounted for 40% of Las Palmas’ 30 league goals this season. Their tally of 40 goals conceded is the best amongst teams currently in the bottom 8 and the back four will look to maintain their discipline in a bid to frustrate the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.
They’ve kept clean sheets in each of their last 3 games, but can they – unlikely as it seems – hold out against a side who have already netted more than twice the number of goals they have scored this season?
Last 5 games(All Competitions): W-W-W-L-L (Most Recent: Villareal 0-1 Las Palmas)
Real Madrid come into this fixture on the back of a comfortable 4-0 aggregate victory over AS Roma to qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals for the sixth season running. A loss to city rivals Atletico Madrid two weeks back crushed their La Liga hopes, so they can look forward to their remaining league games as a litmus test to identify their best XI or eighteen to win them Champions League.
For now, their focus remains on beating Las Palmas. Ronaldo’s return to form and Gareth Bale’s recovery from injury have been major morale boosts for Los Blancos over the past fortnight. Casemiro’s rise in stature as a defensive midfielder and Luka Modric’s energy in the middle of the pitch bodes very well for Real Madrid's system. If their defence can stay compact and organised, there’s no reason why they cannot leave the Canary Islands with three points in the bag.
Last 5 games(All Competitions): W-W-W-L-D (Most Recent: Real Madrid 2-0 AS Roma)
Predicted Starting Lineups
Key Stats
1. Real Madrid’s last league visit to Las Palmas saw them lose 4-2 in the 2001/02 season. Manager Zinedine Zidane started and scored in that particular game.
- However, they have won the other 4 fixtures between these sides, scoring 16 goals in the process.
- Las Palmas have won their last 3 league games – keeping a clean sheet in each of those fixtures.
- Willian Jose and Jonathan Viera have each contributed 6 goals for the Islanders in La Liga this season.
- Real Madrid are unbeaten away from the Bernabeu since a 1-0 defeat to Villareal in December.
- Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 5 goals in his last two appearances for Real Madrid.
Key Battle
Jonathan Viera vs Casemiro
Advanced midfielder Jonathan Viera has been in superb form for Las Palmas this season. He has scored and provided 6 goals each, thus getting directly involved in 12 out of his side’s 30 league goals (40%).
His dynamics in the attacking third is the responsibility of 24-year old Casemiro to deal with, as he seeks to cement his place ahead of Toni Kroos in Real Madrid’s standard XI thanks to his excellent ball-retrieving abilities.
Prediction
Though Quique Setien’s side are on a good run of form, the difference in quality between the two sides will eventually tell at some stage in the second half, as was evident in their last league outing against Celta de Vigo.
The trio of Ronaldo, Bale and James are set to exploit a well-drilled but tired defence in the latter stages of the game with the goals that will put the result in Real’s favour.
Las Palmas 1-3 Real Madrid
