Preview
Las Palmas and Athletic Bilbao will meet at the Gran Canaria stadium in the 5th round of La Liga. Both teams need points to secure their positions in the standings.
Las Palmas
The islanders under the leadership of Luis Carrion look mixed at the start of the season. They showed a good game in home matches, drawing with such strong opponents as Sevilla (2:2) and Real (1:1). The team even led in the match with the Blancos, but missed the victory. In both matches, goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen played a key role, saving the team at the end.
However, Las Palmas shows a much weaker game on the road. The defeats to Leganes (1:2) and Alaves (0:2) show problems in defense and weak implementation in attack. However, at home the team is much more confident that it can play into the hands of Athletic.
Athletic (Bilbao)
The Basques under the leadership of Ernesto Valverde also cannot boast of stability. In four rounds, the "lions" earned only four points, although three of these matches were home. In the opening match, Athletic drew with Getafe (1:1), thanks to a goal by Oyan Sunset. The defeat to Barcelona (1:2) on the road looked natural, although the Bilbao team managed to avoid a rout.
The first victory of the season was won over the crisis Valencia (1:0), but the match against Atletico was a real test. Despite a good organisation of the game, Athletic lost in injury time after a mistake in the centre of the field.
Forecast
Both teams are still looking for their best form, but Las Palmas will be counting on the support of their fans. At the same time, Athletic looks more solid and will be looking to break the losing streak.