Sabasports Match Preview
LaLiga: Las Palmas vs Granada
Kickoff Time: 2023-09-25 00:30 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/PEDRO NUNES
In the sixth round of LaLiga, a clash between newly promoted teams will
take place. Las Palmas is the runner-up of LaLiga 2 last season; their home
stadium is located in the Canary Islands, situated in the Atlantic Ocean and
1,350 kilometers away from mainland Spain’s Iberian Peninsula. Known for its
unique island setting, Las Palmas’ home stadium presents a challenging
expedition for visiting teams, requiring travel by planes, ships, and buses. As
a result, Las Palmas tend to perform well when playing at home. In their
previous home game, they managed to secure a draw against Real Sociedad, who
finished fourth in the league last season. Las Palmas adopt a style of play
that emphasises ball possession, maintaining an average possession rate of 59%
per game, which ranks them third in LaLiga. Additionally, in their recent away
game against the formidable Sevilla, Las Palmas exhibited a high ball
possession rate of 56.4%, indicating their focus on performing well in away
matches. By prioritising ball retention, Las Palmas reduce pressure on their
defense, resulting in only four goals conceded so far this season, which is
tied for the second fewest in the league.
Source:REUTERS/ISABEL INFANTES
Granada, the champion of the LaLiga 2 last season, have had a
challenging start to the current season, securing only one win and suffering
four losses. They are considered one of the favourites for relegation.
Granada’s style of play is characterised by an open and offensive approach,
prioritising attack over defense. They have managed to score nine goals so far,
which places them tied for fifth in the league. However, their defensive
performance has been a weakness, as they have conceded the most goals in the
league with a total of 16. Technically and tactically, Granada heavily relies
on defensive counterattacks. In their recent league match against Girona, which
with average overall strength, Granada had a ball possession rate of only 41.9%
and appeared somewhat passive. Their midfield has struggled, averaging only
five interceptions per game, which is the lowest in the league. Additionally,
Granada have made five fatal mistakes leading to conceding goals, the highest
number in the league. In terms of their offensive capabilities, Granada relies
on Myrto Uzuni, who was LaLiga 2 Golden Boot winner last season. However, Uzuni
has been out of form this season, managing to score only one goal thus far.
Last season, Las Palmas secured a 2-0 victory against Granada at home.
During that match, Las Palmas maintained 59% ball possession and effectively
employed full-court pressing tactics, restricting Granada to only six shots,
with just one on target throughout the game. Given Granada’s current state, it
might be reasonable to be optimistic about Las Palmas capitalising on their
home advantage and potentially earning all three points in the upcoming match.
Las Palmas’ Last 5 Games: LLDLD
23-09-18 Sevilla 1-0 Las Palmas
23-09-03 Girona 1-0 Las Palmas
23-08-26 Las Palmas 0-0 Real Sociedad
23-08-19 Valencia 1-0 Las Palmas
23-08-13 Las Palmas 1-1 Mallorca
Granada’s Last 5 Games: LLWLL
23-09-19 Granada 2-4 Girona
23-09-02 Real Sociedad 5-3 Granada
23-08-27 Granada 3-2 Mallorca
23-08-22 Granada 0-2 Rayo Vallecano
23-08-15 Atletico Madrid 3-1 Granada
Head To Head Record:
23-04-15 Granada 2-1 Las Palmas
22-09-27 Las Palmas 2-0 Granada
19-08-05 Granada 2-0 Las Palmas
19-03-25 Granada 1-1 Las Palmas
18-11-17 Las Palmas 2-2 Granada
Prediction: Las Palmas to win