LAS PALMAS - BARCELONA
A game of concentration
Barcelona are keen to ensure that they aren’t distracted by their upcoming tie with Arsenal on Tuesday. Las Palmas head into the game (16:00 CET) with a number of key injuries.
In a perfect world, Barcelona’s match this afternoon would be a straightforward affair. They face a Las Palmas side facing relegation, a hefty 39 points behind the league leaders. But the real opponent facing Barcelona today is overconfidence and the risk of a lapse in concentration. Luis Enrique’s side travelled to Gran Canaria for today’s game quickly and with little time to rest following Wednesday’s win over Sporting in Gijón, while a crucial clash with Arsenal at the Emirates awaits them in London on Tuesday.
Concentration is fundamental to games such as this. Las Palmas will look to take advantage of all the cards at their disposal: the kick-off time, the fact that they have more to play for than Barcelona and the narrative that suggests that the Catalans have traditionally struggled to win on their visits to the island.
Injuries will make things even trickier for the home side. Quique Setién is missing his two first-choice wingers and three of his four regular central midfielders. Ex-Espanyol wide man Wakaso, who always played well against his old club’s city rivals, is also out.