La Liga's basement side Real Valladolid will be bidding to bounce back from a heavy defeat at Athletic Bilbao when they continue their domestic campaign with a home fixture against fellow strugglers Las Palmas.
Real Valladolid are rock bottom of the La Liga table, eight points behind 17th-placed Las Palmas, and the hosts were beaten 7-1 at Athletic last time out, making it 20 goals conceded from their last five league fixtures.
Match preview
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Diego Cocca was sacked as Real Valladolid head coach following the 4-0 home defeat to Sevilla on February 16, with Alvaro Rubio placed in charge for the remainder of the season, but the 45-year-old was unable to secure a positive result against Athletic last time out.
Indeed, the White and Violets were beaten 7-1 at San Mames, with the result leaving them rock bottom of the La Liga table on 15 points, boasting a record of four wins, three draws and 18 defeats from their 25 matches.
Real Valladolid are eight points behind 17th-placed Las Palmas with 13 games left - there are still plenty of points to play for, but they have only gathered 15 points from 25 matches, which is an indication of the effort that is required.
Pucela have picked up 12 points on home soil this season, with three of their four league successes coming in front of their own fans, and they will be welcoming a Las Palmas outfit that have suffered eight defeats on their travels in La Liga.
Real Valladolid suffered a 2-1 defeat to Las Palmas in La Liga earlier this season, and they have not actually beaten Friday's opponents in Spain's top flight since October 2001, so there is plenty on the line in this fixture.
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Las Palmas have actually lost 14 of their previous 29 top-flight fixtures against Real Valladolid, while they have never beaten the White and Violets away from home in the top flight of Spanish football.
Some history is therefore on the line in this clash, but Diego Martinez's side are also in disappointing form, losing each of their last four league matches against Girona, Villarreal, Mallorca and Barcelona.
Los Amarillos have not actually been victorious in Spain's top flight since December 22, losing seven of their eight matches in all competitions this year, and they sit level on points with 18th-placed Valencia.
There is simply no downplaying the importance of this match to both sides, and it will be a meeting of the worst two defensive teams in Spain's top flight this season, with Real Valladolid conceding 59, while Las Palmas have let in 43.
Real Valladolid are also the lowest goalscorers, finding the back of the net on just 16 occasions, but Las Palmas have scored 29 times, and their extra quality in the final third of the field could be crucial in this match.
Team News
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Real Valladolid will welcome Anuar Tuhami and Selim Amallah back into their squad following suspensions, but Stanko Juric is now banned due to the red card that he was handed in the heavy defeat to Athletic.
Anuar and Amallah are both set to come into the side, while fit-again Raul Moro should also start, with interim head coach Rubio preparing to shuffle his pack due to the team's struggles last time out.
Florian Grillitsch is likely to brought in to strengthen the midfield, but Mamadou Sylla should retain his spot in the side after finding the back of the net against Athletic last time out.
As for Las Palmas, Scott McKenna will be back in the squad following a suspension, but Marc Cardona and Kirian Rodriguez are both unavailable for selection due to injury and illness respectively.
Alex Suarez picked up a milestone yellow card in the 2-0 defeat to Barcelona last time out, which will rule him out, so McKenna for Suarez is likely to be the change in the middle of the defence.
Las Palmas are also sweating over the fitness of Marvin Park and Fabio Silva, and if the latter is again unavailable for selection, then it is likely that Oli McBurnie will continue through the middle.
Real Valladolid possible starting lineup:
Hein; Perez, J Sanchez, Torres, Candela; Tuhami, Martin, Grillitsch, Amallah, Moro; Sylla
Las Palmas possible starting lineup:
Cillessen; Rozada, Marmol, McKenna, Munoz; Essugo, Bajcetic; Sandro, Munoz, Moleiro; McBurnie
We say: Real Valladolid 1-2 Las Palmas
Real Valladolid are an incredibly difficult team to back at the moment, and a defeat here would be a crushing blow; it would not be a surprise to see the points shared, but we believe that Las Palmas will be able to navigate their way to a hugely important three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
