Las Palmas vs Barcelona Review
Barcelona secured their fifth consecutive La Liga victory by defeating Las Palmas 2-0, regaining the top position from Atlético Madrid. After Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid had won against Valencia just before, Hansi Flick understood that achieving a 13th straight unbeaten game in Gran Canaria was essential. They were up against a team that had previously beaten them in their earlier encounter this season, and Las Palmas, aiming for their first-ever league double over the Catalan side, raised their performance level despite their recent struggles with relegation.
Sandro Ramírez came closest to scoring in the first half hour with a shot that tested Wojciech Szczęsny. The visitors had some moments of control during the match, but their opportunities were limited. Lamine Yamal, who has shown great promise, could have done better when he sent a shot from 12 yards wide of the goal in a lackluster first half. The subdued nature of the game clearly frustrated the traveling fans, who were hoping for a strong performance from their Barcelona team. Given that Las Palmas was just above the relegation zone, Barcelona might have been a bit taken aback, but it was evident that Flick’s words had an impact after halftime.
At the one-hour mark, Raphinha missed a header from Yamal’s precise cross after his penalty claims were dismissed when he seemed to be fouled in the box. However, as Barcelona intensified their efforts, Yamal eventually provided an assist after a clever feint created space for him to pass to Dani Olmo, who scored with a shot that hit the underside of the bar and went in.
With this goal, Barcelona reclaimed the top spot in La Liga, and it felt as if a weight had been lifted from their shoulders, especially as Lamine impressed fans with a stunning Cruyff turn at the halfway line. After narrowly avoiding a late handball incident, Barcelona struck a decisive blow against Diego Martínez’s team when Ferran Torres scored by blasting the ball into the net from Raphinha’s pass, securing the victory.
