Exciting times for Las Palmas

UD Las Palmas have plenty of reasons to be happy and excited. For the first time in the club’s history, the Canary Islanders were bestowed with the honorary title of winter champions thanks to their return of 43 points, coming after they recorded twelve wins, seven draws and just two defeats in their first 21 games. Numbers like these undoubtedly have fans dreaming of a return to life in the Liga BBVA for the first time in 13 years.

Solid and reliable league leaders

The fact that Las Palmas find themselves top of the Liga Adelante is no coincidence. They enjoyed a noteworthy opening half to the season, occupying first place for 14 of the 21 matchdays and not dropping out of the top five since the beginning of the campaign.

The Canary Islanders have been league leaders for ten consecutive matchdays

It was on matchday four that the Islanders moved top of the table for the first time, after beating R. Racing C 1-2. Although Girona FC would snatch first place off them four matchdays later, the Yellows reclaimed top spot on matchday 12 after the Catalans lost in the Estadi Montilivi (1-2). Since then, Las Palmas have managed to hold onto their position for ten consecutive matchdays and have a three-point lead over second-placed Real Betis.

A team with lots of firepower

The Yellows closed the first half of the season with 40 goals, making them the highest scoring side in the division ahead of Real Zaragoza (34), Betis (31), Girona (31), SD Ponferradina (31) and CD Numancia (31).

One of the key figures behind Las Palmas’ success is Argentine striker Sergio Araujo, who already has 13 goals to his name in his first campaign in Gran Canaria. The South American got off to a near perfect beginning with the Yellows, setting a new club record for the best start in front of goal after he got on the scoresheet seven times during his first five games.

With 40 goals, Las Palmas are the highest scoring team in the Liga Adelante; Araujo is the division’s top talisman, with 13 goals

On top of that, a lot of the team’s midfielders are also chipping in when it comes to scoring. Players like Nauzet Alemán (6 goals), Momo Figueroa (4), Roque Mesa (3) and Hernán Santana (2) are proving to be effective options in front of goal when the team is most in need. Even so, Las Palmas reinforced their squad during the winter transfer window with the acquisitions of two forwards known for their attacking prowess: Jonathan Viera and Alfredo Ortuño.

A fortress at home

One of the winter champions’ other strengths is their reliability in the Estadio de Gran Canaria. Paco Herrera’s men have only lost one match at home, at the hands of At. Osasuna (1-2) on matchday 18. Apart from the Navarra outfit, R. Sporting (1-1) and CD Mirandés (0-0) are the only other sides to have come away from the Yellow fortress with points this season.

All these factors together make Las Palmas the main favourites to secure promotion, the Canary Island club’s principal aim. The last time they won promotion to the Liga BBVA was during the 1999-00 campaign, when the team then managed by Sergio Krešić finished as Liga Adelante champions with 72 points. Today, Araujo, Nauzet, Javi Castellano and company are looking to follow in the footsteps of Eloy Jiménez, Orlando Suárez and Vincent Samways, and write their names into club’s history books with gold.