SOCCER PREDICTION  LAS PALMAS – BARCELONA

The Barcelona will face the trip to Gran Canaria with the aim of maintaining unchanged the advantage in the standings on Atletico Madrid (seven points). The other priority, however, will be to avoid fatigue or injuries to the owners, waiting for the direct clash on Sunday at the Camp Nou against Atletico. For this reason, several Spanish sports newspapers have speculated for days that the midweek shift may be worth the rest for some of the most hired managers, starting with Luis Suarez (but not Messi). Piqué could also stop, who recently played with a knee not in perfect condition.

Surely in Gran Canaria will not go Jordi Alba, disqualified, nor Nelson Semedo. The right-back Portuguese, considered by Valverde a reserve of Sergi Roberto, suffered a serious muscle injury in his left leg and will miss for at least a month. Many saw as a probable owner in attack against Las Palmas another forgotten of the Barcelona squad, Paco Alcácer. However, this hypothesis weakened due to the lack of participation of Paco Alcácer at one of the last training sessions, due to a gastroenteritis. He was however summoned.

While generally setting up a rather high line of defense, formed by non-exceptional players, in the last few days the Las Palmas of Paco Jémez showed a certain defensive solidity, thanks also to the rediscovered form of its goalkeeper Leandro Chichizola, ex Spezia. In the last four games – against Malaga, Athletic Bilbao, Sevilla and Leganes – the team managed to collect a total of five points and conceded only two goals (both in the 2-1 home defeat against Sevilla). It is still in the third position but the recent collapse of the Levante has made the possibility of contending for the first division to the end of the season at least more concrete and realistic. The distance between the Levante and Las Palmas has been reduced from seven points to one point.

Midfielder Gaby Peñalba will still be absent due to injury. To occupy his place on the median could be this time Alberto Aquilani, paired with Vicente Gómez, and the Nigerian Oghenekaro Etebo deployed in a more advanced position, however more akin to its technical characteristics. Loading the entire defensive phase on the shoulders of the two medians, in front of the usual four-way line of defense, could however be a very risky choice this time.

The probable formations:

LAS PALMAS (4-2-3-1): Chichizola; Michel Macedo, Ximo Navarro, Alex Galvez, Aguirregaray; Aquilani, Vicente Gomez; Etebo, Hernan Toledo (or Tana), Halilovic; Calleri (or Erik Expósito).
BARCELONA (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Vermaelen, Umtiti, Digne; Busquets (or Rakitic), Paulinho, Iniesta; Coutinho (or Aleix Vidal), Messi, Dembélé.

Prediction of the Day: 1-3, X2 + OVER
Odds: 1.42
Prediction Today: GOL
Odds: 1.83