Las Palmas vs Sevilla and Granada vs Alavés, keys to salvation
MADRID, 13 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Athletic Club will host Villarreal CF this Sunday during matchday 31 in LaLiga EA Sports, after having celebrated their Copa del Rey title with the barge, while Sevilla FC will visit UD Las Palmas, Deportivo Alavés will play in the Granada CF’s field and, finally, Real Sociedad will face bottom team UD Almería at home.
The Sunday round of matches will begin at 2:00 p.m. (peninsular time) at the Gran Canaria Stadium. The locals, without goalkeeper Álvaro Valles due to his expulsion last day, will want to get out of a very bad streak that has lasted for two months. Las Palmas’ last victory was on February 10 (2-0 against Valencia), and since then their league record has been two draws and four defeats.
With 37 points, the ‘pio-pio’ team maintains a distance from the relegation zone, but its next rival has 31 points and suffering another setback would complicate its future. Sevilla will seek to do precisely that, as they have improved with Quique Sánchez Flores on their bench, but they are still experiencing an ups and downs and look every week at their string of casualties.
Marcos Acuña will be absent due to the yellow card cycle and Djibril Sow joined the injured list this week (Marcão, Mariano, Rafa Mir, etc.). Their recent victory (0-1) against Getafe, marred by racist insults from the Azulona fans towards Sánchez Flores and Acuña themselves, encouraged the Seville team in their climb up the ranks.
Just above in the qualifying table, Sevilla has Alavés with 32 points. After losing two Basque derbies in the last two league games (2-0 against Athletic and 0-1 against Real Sociedad), the team from Vitoria will take to the pitch at Nuevo Los Cármenes at 4:15 p.m., which exudes tragedy this season.
Except for a victory (2-0) against Cádiz at the beginning of 2024, the Granada fans have tasted few joys at home. The 14 points that Granada has, from its penultimate place, make salvation very difficult. The known absences of Víctor Díaz and Jesús Vallejo will not presumably change the plans of José Ramón Sandoval, whose return to the Nasrid bench has barely had the desired impact.
MORE CELEBRATIONS IN SAN MAMÉS
At 6:30 p.m. there will be another party at the San Mamés Stadium. Three days after bathing, literally and figuratively, in the Nervión River to celebrate their brand new Cup title, Athletic will present to their stands the trophy won on penalties against Mallorca.
Without Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta, who is in the yellow cycle, the Bilbao team will have to reduce the celebrations to face a key duel in their aspirations to occupy fourth position in this 2023/24 League. Ernesto Valverde’s men are now fifth with 56 points and are chasing Atlético de Madrid, whose match this weekend against Girona is stunning the noble zone.
The rival of the ‘lions’ will be a Villarreal that has shown a good performance since the arrival of Marcelin García Toral, with the blot of being eliminated in the round of 16 of the Europa League by Olympique de Marseille. Despite this, the ‘Yellow Submarine’ is increasing its chances of reaching seventh place, which could give it a ticket to the Conference League.
Currently that place is Betis with 45 points, following a 2-1 victory over Celta de Vigo; On the other hand, Villarreal has 38 points. Real Sociedad will watch the progress in that fight, whose sixth position is also coveted and will not be able to get lost from 9:00 p.m. against the bottom team.
The San Sebastian team has 49 points and Almería has achieved 13 points, teams with contrasting styles. In this, the Japanese playmaker Take Kubo is essential, who could be in front of the Almeria team after overcoming an injury. The Reale Arena fans will not see Carlos Fernández or Brais Méndez, who are injured for the remainder of the season.
–SUNDAY SCHEDULES FOR DAY 31 OF LALIGA EA SPORTS.
Las Palmas – Seville. Muñiz Ruiz (C.Gallego) 14.00.
Granada – Alavés. García Verdura (Catalan) 16.15.
Athletic Club – Villarreal. Cuadra Fernández (C.Balearic) 18.30.
Real Sociedad – Almería. Díaz de Mera Escuderos (CC-Manchego) 21.00.