La Liga | Gameweek 26

Feb 28, 2025 at 8pm UK

Estadio Municipal Jose Zorrilla

Valladolid vs Las Palmas

Match preview

On February 16, following the humiliating 4 - 0 home defeat to Sevilla, Diego Cocca was relieved of his duties as the head coach of Real Valladolid. Subsequently, Alvaro Rubio was appointed to take charge for the remainder of the season. Unfortunately, the 45 - year - old coach couldn't engineer a positive outcome in the last match against Athletic Bilbao.

Indeed, the White and Violets (Real Valladolid) endured a comprehensive 7 - 1 drubbing at San Mames. This disheartening result left them firmly rooted at the bottom of the La Liga table, having amassed just 15 points. Their record stands at a meager four wins, three draws, and a staggering 18 defeats from their 25 matches played thus far.

With 13 games remaining in the season, Real Valladolid finds itself a daunting eight points adrift of 17th - placed Las Palmas. Although there are still numerous points up for grabs, the fact that they've only managed to scrape together 15 points from 25 games serves as a clear indication of the Herculean effort required to turn their season around.

Pucela have taken 12 points on home soil this season, with three of their four league victories coming in front of their own fans, and they will welcome a Las Palmas side who have suffered eight defeats away from home in La Liga.

Real Valladolid lost 2-1 to Las Palmas in La Liga earlier this season and have not beaten their opponents in the Spanish top flight since October 2001, so the stakes are high.

In fact, Las Palmas have lost 14 of their last 29 top-flight meetings with Real Valladolid, while they have never beaten them away from home in the Spanish top flight.

History will be on the line in this clash, but Diego Martinez's side have also been in disappointing form, losing their last four league games against Girona, Villarreal, Mallorca and Barcelona.

Los Amarillos have not won in the Spanish top flight since 22 December and have lost seven of their eight games in all competitions this year, leaving them level on points with 18th-placed Valencia.

The importance of this game for both sides cannot be underestimated, and it will be a clash between the two worst defensive teams in the Spanish top flight this season, with Real Valladolid having conceded 59 goals to Las Palmas' 43.

Real Valladolid are also the lowest scorers, finding the back of the net just 16 times, while Las Palmas have scored 29 times and their extra quality in the final third of the pitch could prove decisive in this match.

Team News

Real Valladolid welcome back Anuar Tuhami and Selim Amallah from suspension, while Stanko Juric is suspended following his red card in the heavy defeat to Athletic.

Anuar and Amallah are both in contention to start, while a fit-again Raul Moro is also likely to feature as interim head coach Rubio prepares to shuffle his pack following the team's struggles last time out.

Florian Grillitsch is likely to be recalled to strengthen the midfield, but Mamadou Sylla should retain his place in the side after finding the back of the net against Athletic last time out.

Las Palmas will welcome back Scott McKenna from suspension, but Marc Cardona and Kirian Rodriguez are both unavailable through injury and illness respectively.

Alex Suarez picked up a yellow card in the 2-0 defeat to Barcelona last time out, which will rule him out, so McKenna is likely to be the change at the heart of the defence for Suarez.

Las Palmas are also sweating over the fitness of Marvin Park and Fabio Silva, and if the latter is again ruled out, Oli McBurnie is likely to continue in the middle.

Possible starting lineup

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