FC Barcelona will host UD Las Palmas this Saturday at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, at 14:00. In addition to four players with a Blaugrana past, the opposing team will also feature Fábio Silva. The 22-year-old Portuguese striker, on loan from Wolverhampton, arrives at the match in great form and will surely want to extend it at Montjuic.
In the last five matches, the former Porto player has scored 3 goals and provided 1 assist. In addition, his contributions on the field have been vital for the Gran Canaria team, as they won 3 of the 4 matches in which the striker made his mark. He is a very young player who made the jump to the Premier League too early, in exchange for 40 million euros. This change and his failure to adapt to the new context has forced him to go on loan to several teams to feel like a footballer: Anderlecht, PSV, Rangers and, now, Las Palmas.
Best Under-23 player in November in LaLiga
His great month, in which he scored 3 goals and provided 1 assist, has earned him the award for best Under-23 player in LaLiga. Marc Casadó, Luka Sucic (Real Sociedad), Vitor Roque (Real Betis) and Javi Rodríguez (Celta) were competing for this award given by LaLiga. However, the Portuguese striker has been the chosen one.
In November he faced Valencia, with a victory for Las Palmas and a goal from Fábio; Girona, with an assist from the striker and three points for his team; Atlético, a defeat and no contribution from the Portuguese; Rayo, a goal from Silva and a match won by the Canary team; and Mallorca, a team against which the yellow team was defeated, but their striker scored a goal and hit the post. In addition, he has achieved all this having only played 90 minutes in the last match.
With this boost of morale, the Porto native is in very good shape for the match at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. It is true that FC Barcelona's level is superior to all the teams they have faced in November, but they will certainly give it their all. The Barça centre-back duo, Cubarsí and Iñigo, will have to be very attentive to the rival team's '37'.