LaLiga 2024/2025 - Matchday 25
Las Palmas coach Diego Martínez is a tough nut to crack for FC Barcelona
The Galician coach is used to making the matches difficult for the Catalan team, both with Granada, Espanyol and Las Palmas
Barça will face the executioner of the club's 125th anniversary. UD Las Palmas beat the Blaugrana team at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys (1-2) the day after the celebration for the club's new anniversary. The performance of the culé was not good and the Canarian team dealt two blows to Hansi Flick's pupils to take the victory, despite Raphinha equalising the match. However, the ideologist of the tactics of the men dressed in yellow, Diego Martínez, is not the first time that he has made Barcelona suffer.
The Galician coach, born in Vigo, has been coaching in the highest elite of football since 2017. His first big club was Osasuna, in the Spanish Second Division, where he was in the 17/18 season. His next steps were Granada (2018-2021), with whom he faced FC Barcelona for the first time, Espanyol (22/23), Olympiakos (01/07/2023-05/12/2023) and Las Palmas. He arrived at the Canary Islands team in October of this season, replacing Luis Carrión. He has faced the Blaugrana club on 7 occasions and has not lost in 4 of them.
Diego Martínez's record against Barça
Diego Martínez has faced Barça 6 times in LaLiga and 1 in the Copa del Rey. Of the total, 5 have been with Granada, 1 with Espanyol and 1 with Las Palmas. He have also won 3 of the matches, drawn 1 time and lost 3 others. The most curious thing is that they have managed to score the most points at Barça (3 of the 4 times). On the other hand, being at home, as will happen this Saturday at 9:00 p.m., at the Gran Canaria Stadium, they have only done so once, in their first match.
- 19/20 season; matchday 5: Granada-FC Barcelona (2-0)
- 19/20 season; English:Matchday 20: FC Barcelona-Granada (1-0)
- Season 20/21, matchday 18: Granada-FC Barcelona (0-4)
- Season 20/21, Copa del Rey quarter-finals: Granada-FC Barcelona (3-5)
- Season 20/21, matchday 33: FC Barcelona-Granada (1-2)
- Season 22/23, matchday 15: FC Barcelona-RCD Espanyol (1-1)
- Season 24/25, matchday 15: FC Barcelona-UD Las Palmas (1-2)
The Vigo native changed Granada's history, as he managed to get a win on the Catalan team's pitch for the first time. Previously, 26 duels had been played and all had gone to the home team. Returning to the present, he will try to get the three points again this matchday. It will be very difficult, as Barça arrives as the leader of the competition, while Las Palmas is touching the relegation zone with its fingertips and has not won since December 22, 2024.
