Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the La Liga match.
The final match of the upcoming La Liga round will see Girona host Las Palmas. After a commendable performance against Arsenal (1:2) in the last round of the Champions League group stage, the Catalan side can now focus entirely on domestic competition, with La Liga being their only remaining commitment this season.
Girona
The end of 2024 and the start of January saw Girona secure convincing wins against Real Valladolid (3:0) and Alavés (1:0), comfortably dispatching relegation candidates. However, they have struggled more against stronger opponents. Despite a run of four consecutive defeats, Girona have continued to show strong attacking intent. Against Rayo Vallecano (1:2), they collapsed late on, conceding twice, but still managed to create a solid 1.37 xG with 12 shots over the 90 minutes.
Las Palmas
Las Palmas’ defence has been in shambles throughout January. They were eliminated from the Copa del Rey in humiliating fashion by second-division Elche (0:4), before conceding seven goals in three La Liga matches – a tally only worsened by Valencia (10). Advanced metrics offer little consolation for their fans: in January, they accumulated a league-worst 10.34 xGA while generating just 3.52 xG, ranking fifth from the bottom.
Girona vs Las Palmas Prediction
A fresh Girona side should take advantage of Las Palmas’ defensive struggles on Monday. The Catalans are deserved favourites, and we are backing their win.
