UD Las Palmas vs FC Barcelona: A match to confirm the leadership of LaLiga

This Saturday, FC Barcelona visits Unión Deportiva Las Palmas as the leader of LaLiga, a position they haven't defended since matchday 15, just when Hansi Flick's team lost in Montjuïc against the Canary team (1-2). The azulgrana team equaled Real Madrid's line (51 points) last Monday, but the goal difference (+40) and the direct confrontation (4-0) give an advantage to the culés over a 'merengue' team that, in just three matchdays, squandered a seven-point lead after a couple of draws and a loss.

In this sense, Barça arrives fired up at the Gran Canaria Stadium, after securing four consecutive victories between League and Cup, in addition to claiming the last 12 points at stake in the tournament. Victories against Valencia (7-1), Alavés (1-0), Sevilla (1-4), and Rayo (1-0) brought the Catalans back to the top, also surpassing Atlético de Madrid, which is now one point below in the table.

Barça will seek to exacerbate Las Palmas' crisis

On the contrary, Las Palmas arrives at the clash against Barça at their worst moment of the season. The Canarians have not managed to win a single match this year and, in the last six matchdays, they barely salvaged a draw at home against Osasuna (1-1). After the harsh elimination in the Copa del Rey against Elche (4-0), Diego Martínez's team fell at home to Getafe (1-2) and then suffered another heavy defeat at the Santiago Bernabéu (4-1).

The draw against the 'rojillos' seemed to revive Las Palmas, but defeats against Girona (2-1), Villarreal (1-2), and Mallorca (3-1) left them on the brink of relegation with 23 points, the same as Valencia (18th), but with a better goal difference for the yellow team. In December, after their setback in Montjuïc, the Canarians defeated Valladolid (2-1) and Espanyol (1-0), in addition to drawing at Anoeta against Real Sociedad (0-0), but everything collapsed in January.

In their last visits to Gran Canaria, Barça has accumulated two victories and a draw. Last season, Xavi Hernández's team won narrowly (1-2) thanks to goals from Ferran Torres and İlkay Gündogan, the latter from a penalty in stoppage time. Munir had given the locals the lead in the first half. Previously, in the 17/18 season, Barça drew 1-1, and a season earlier, the culés won convincingly 1-4.

Hansi Flick does not foresee rotations despite the proximity of the Copa 'semis'

Although Barça has one eye on the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals against Atlético de Madrid, next Tuesday the 25th at 21:30 in Montjuïc, Hansi Flick expects to field his strongest eleven against the yellow team. The only doubts in the XI revolve around whether Frenkie de Jong and Marc Casadó will continue to accompany Pedri González in midfield or, on the contrary, Gavi, Fermín López, or Dani Olmo will return to the lineup.

In defense, Jules Koundé should return to the right side, after serving a suspension match against Rayo for arriving late to a technical talk. Pau Cubarsí and Iñigo Martínez are expected to remain in the center of defense, although Ronald Araujo is already fully fit after the ankle injury he suffered against Sevilla. Likewise, Alejandro Balde is also not expected to rest, just like the members of the attacking trident (Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Robert Lewandowski).

After the first Copa match against Atlético, Barça will host Real Sociedad next Sunday at 16:15 in Montjuïc, just before traveling to Lisbon for the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 against Benfica (Wednesday, March 5). The schedule is tightening again for the culés with the return of the Cup and the Champions, but Flick trusts his squad to face the first decisive stretch of the season.

Fermín López, the main novelty for the visit to Gran Canaria

For Saturday, Fermín López will be the big news in the azulgrana squad. The onubense served a suspension match against Rayo due to his expulsion against Sevilla, a match where he could only be on the field for a quarter of an hour, but managed to score his third goal in the last three League matches he played. The '16' had scored a brace against Valencia, a rival he also scored against in the Cup at Mestalla. 

After Fermín's suspension, the only Barça player at risk of suspension is Gavi. The Andalusian has reached four yellow cards against Rayo and has three consecutive matchdays with a card. One more warning will leave the '6' out of the next League match. As for the injured, Andreas Christensen did not receive medical clearance in time to travel to the Canaries, but he should return next week. Finally, Ansu Fati was once again left out of the 23 called up for technical decision.

Thus, Barcelona will aim for their fifth consecutive victory to confirm a leadership that has changed hands constantly this season. Like the Catalans, Real Madrid and Atlético have let considerable leads slip away and multiple opportunities to pull away definitively at the top. This is the moment to deliver the final blow for a azulgrana team that aspires to their third treble in history in 24/25.

📌 Follow the live coverage of the FC Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano match on FCBN and stay informed, don't miss anything

⚽ Preview: the most notable information and analysis before the match: view info
📺 Schedules and TV: when, where, and how to watch the match live and online in Spain, Europe, America, Africa, and Asia: view info
ℹ️ Lineups: the possible starting XI of FC Barcelona and Rayo: view info
📋 Squad: the list of called-up players from Barcelona for the match: view info
📺 Hansi Flick: the pre-match press conference of Barcelona's coach: view info
🏆 News: the latest updates and news from LaLiga EA Sports: view info
📅 Calendar: the matches and results of LaLiga EA Sports: view info