Las Palmas vs Mallorca Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 Spanish Primera
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THE FACTS
When is Las Palmas vs Mallorca on and what time does it start? Las Palmas vs Mallorca will take place on Saturday 12th August, 2023 – 18:30 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Las Palmas vs Mallorca? Visit each club’s official website for the latest ticket information
What TV channel is Las Palmas vs Mallorca on in the UK? Las Palmas vs Mallorca will be televised live on LaLigaTV, but La Liga matches are also televised occasionally on Viaplay Sports and ITV
Where can I stream Las Palmas vs Mallorca in the UK? Las Palmas vs Mallorca can be streamed live on Viaplay, while ITV matches can be streamed live on ITVX
THE LOWDOWN
LAS PALMAS
Canary Islanders, potentially stereotypically, are renowned for being the ‘Brazilians’ of Spanish football with a flare and fluency to their play being something that has been a theme throughout the years. Las Palmas gained promotion to the top-flight last season embodying that approach with their coach, Garcia Pimienta, very much playing in a progressive style having been a youth coach at Barcelona, assistant with Barcelona B before eventually being the head coach of Barcelona B.
The home team have lost key central defender Sidnei back to his homeland with him joining Ceara on a free transfer whilst Oscar Clemente has signed for Levante and Wilfrid Kaptoum signing for AEK Larnaca. The most frustrating departure no doubt, though, is Alex Dominguez signing for Toulouse for an undisclosed fee. The signing of Daley Sinkgraven could be crucial to the way Las Palmas intend to play this season.
MALLORCA
Following their own promotion in 2021, Real Mallorca have gone about life back in La Liga in a very different manner to their opponents. The Balearic Islanders appointed Javier Aguirre towards the end of the 2021/22 campaign and the Mexican has instilled his dogged and fairly direct style of football in a very effective manner. They ended up surviving that season and then had a comfortable mid-table finish last year.
The visitors have also had quite a productive summer, despite the potentially pivotal loss of Lee Kang-in for an undisclosed fee to Paris Saint-Germain. That has been counterbalanced by the signing of Cyle Larin, who impressed for eventually relegated Real Valladolid in the second-half of last season. They have also been smart with the addition of Siebe Van der Heyden from Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.
THE TEAM NEWS
LAS PALMAS
Much like how Mikel Arteta is reportedly seeking to set up his Arsenal side this season, Pimienta prefers a progressive 4-1-4-1 system with two advanced number eight players. He is without two players due to injury on this opening day.
PREDICTED XI (4-1-4-1): Escandell; Araujo, Coco, Curbelo, Sinkgraven; Mfulu; Viera, Munoz, Loiodice, Moleiro; Munir
UNAVAILABLE: Gonzalez (Injured), Machin Perez (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
MALLORCA
During his stint on the island of Majorca, Javier Aguirre has preferred a 5-4-1 system with Lee in behind Vedat Muriqi but given the arrival of Cyle Larin and loss of the Korean, it could well be he opts for a 5-3-2 system this season.
PREDICTED XI (5-3-2): Rajkovic; Maffeo, Van der Heyden, Copete, Raillo, Costa; Baba, Mascarell, Morlanes; Muriqi, Larin
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
THE PREDICTION
Despite it being a game between two island clubs with some home advantage similarities but this is a clash of tactical styles with the respective managers intent on playing in very different ways, albeit to an effective way. Las Palmas will get on the front foot, especially with their home advantage, but Real Mallorca will be confident of exploiting some space and the visitors could be quite fun themselves with two strikers on the pitch. This could be quite an entertaining encounter for the neutral with both teams scoring seeming likely.
TIP: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE
