Roque off the bench, Ferran starts in a 4-3-3: How Barcelona could line up against Las Palmas

Barcelona’s very own Garcia Pimienta will face off against the Catalan outfit for the first time since he was sacked by the club in 2021 as the coach of Barcelona Atletic, despite having an incredibly impressive record with the side.

Tomorrow, however, he will be hosting Barcelona with Las Palmas at the Gran Canaria, for matchday 19 of La Liga.

His Las Palmas side have defied expectations this season, sitting 10th in the table, with seven wins and four draws in 18 games. They are also one of eight sides in the table to not have a negative goal difference at this stage.

This is in large part courtesy of their defence, which has conceded just 15 goals all season, featuring none other than Julian Araujo, who is on loan from Barça.

Xavi’s Barcelona side will have to put up a performance that is nothing less than spectacular in order to overcome the Canary Islands outfit. And the first step toward those three points starts with the starting lineup.

Defence: Kounde retains his spot

Recent updates from Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s camp have confirmed that the German will likely be out till February, which means Inaki Pena has a clear path at the starting goalkeeper spot, and will retain his position against Las Palmas, as well.

There might be some changes in defence, though, with line-breaking progression the ideal goal in Xavi’s mind. Jules Kounde trumps Andreas Christensen in that regard, albeit while also playing as a right-back. He should be given the starting spot in central defence alongside Ronald Araujo, who is indispensable.

Alejandro Balde will be hoping to mirror his form from last season as he is expected to start at left-back again tomorrow. His performances have raised some eyebrows, but his dynamic runs could be key to unlocking the Las Palmas’ defence.

Meanwhile, Joao Cancelo should be given the nod to start at right-back as he looks to build on his impressive form.

Midfield: Captain Roberto starts

With Pedri injured again, Xavi does not have the privilege of starting his gala midfield trident. Instead, he will likely give Sergi Roberto a starting role on the back of his match-winning brace against Almeria before the Christmas break.

We expect Ilkay Gundogan to cover the pivot position, while Oriol Romeu starts on the bench once again. The German has made the most difference in advanced positions, but will have to settle for a deeper role given Barcelona’s lack of depth in midfield.

Finally, Frenkie de Jong will almost definitely return to the fold after missing the Almeria clash due to suspension.

Attack: The shark gets a long-overdue chance

Ferran Torres has, time and again, proven this season that he is worth more than just a bench role. He put in another solid shift against Almeria coming on at half-time, and will likely be awarded with a start tomorrow, with Joao Felix on the bench.

And while Robert Lewandowski‘s start is nearly guaranteed as the striker, he will be looking over his shoulder at all times with Vitor Roque on the bench.

Finally, Raphinha will the last piece in this puzzle, taking over the right-wing spot over Lamine Yamal, who started the friendly against Club America after the Almeria clash.

Torres · Lewandowski · Raphinha
de Jong · Gundogan · Roberto
Balde · Kounde · Araujo · Cancelo
Pena

Substitutes

First and foremost, Barcelona fans will have all their attention on their new no. 19 Vitor Roque, as he is expected to make his debut off the bench tomorrow. A lot of pressure on the teenager’s shoulders.

Joao Felix and Lamine Yamal could also be in them mix, especially if Barcelona are trailing the game at any point. With not many midfield options available, Xavi will looking to rotate the attack to make an impact.

Fermin Lopez is also a candidate to make a second-half appearance alongside Andreas Christensen, who has been on the bench a little too many times for Barcelona fans’ comfort this season.