Las Palmas vs Valencia Prediction & Tips
Despite playing against ten men for 69 minutes in their match against Granada at Los Cármenes last weekend, UD Las Palmas had to settle for a 1-1 draw, keeping them five points off the European zone after Matchday 23. The coach of the islanders, Xavi García Pimienta, regretted the few chances created after the sending-off of the opposing player, although he appreciated the point in the only game of a four-game series against a team not ranked in the top seven at the start of this matchday.
That series began with a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid at the Estadio de Gran Canaria, who this Saturday host Valencia CF, a club they have defeated in their last three LaLiga EA Sports (LL) matches played in Las Palmas. It remains to be seen whether La Unión Deportiva will show more punch against Los Ches, but the Yellows have won just one of their nine league games this season against teams ahead of them in the standings ahead of Matchday 24 (G1, E1, P7).
For their part, Valencia have had very negative results on their visits to teams with whom they live in the top half of the table (E1, P5), which has weighed down the Blanquinegros in their fight to get into the top half of the table. Rubén Baraja’s team is only two points behind the sixth-placed team, but the gap to the fifth-placed team is ten points and seems almost insurmountable.
However, there are still 15 games left, and Valencia go into the game with 15 points out of a possible 18 (G5, P1). To achieve the coveted European place, the che squad will need to improve their defensive performance away; only two teams have kept clean sheets away fewer times than Valencia (once) in the current championship, and both are located in the relegation zone.
Players to watch: A Pejiño goal levelled the score for UD Las Palmas at Los Cármenes, and four of the last five games in which they have found the net have ended in draws. Hugo Duro could be the one to upset the balance at the Estadio de Gran Canaria this Saturday; the Che striker has scored in three of his last four LL appearances, breaking the 0-0 scoreline in each of those three matches.
Key stat: UD Las Palmas are the only team not to have conceded a goal in the first half of their home games in LL this season.
Las Palmas – Valencia FREE TIPS
BTS/YES @ 2.00
