By Neel Shelat
Las Palmas seeking to build post-García Pimienta
Although they ended up finishing in 16th place, Las Palmas were among the most exciting newly-promoted teams not just in Spain but all over Europe last season. García Pimienta’s eye-catching style of play entertained fans and neutrals alike, leading the Canary Islanders to maintain the second-highest possession average in La Liga.
The 50-year-old tactician left for Sevilla in the summer, so Las Palmas had to look for a successor. Luis Carrión was the man chosen for the job, with his most recent achievement being leading Real Oviedo to the Segunda División promotion play-off final last term. His side are yet to register a win this season having drawn with Sevilla and lost to Leganés in their first two fixtures, and that record is unlikely to change this week.
Real Madrid yet to fully click
Real Madrid made arguably the biggest signing of the summer by bringing in Kylian Mbappé, but some analysts have wondered how well he might fit into their side. With Carlo Ancelotti in charge, though, they can be confident of finding the right formula sooner rather than later.
For now, though, it seems Los Blancos are yet to fully click. The draw with Mallorca in their LaLiga opener underscored that fact, and even their 3-0 win over Real Valladolid was not all smooth sailing as they only registered one shot from inside the box in the first half. The good news for them is that they have more than enough individual quality in their side to power past most opponents even on their off days, so they will hope to get the better of Las Palmas by hook or crook.
Jude Bellingham will not be available for this match as he still recovers from a minor injury, so a combination of Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo, Endrick and Arda Güler will be tasked with doling out the attacking damage. The first three will surely start, but Ancelotti will have to decide between rewarding the young Brazilian striker for his goal last weekend or sticking with the Turkish playmaker.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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