Barcelona vs Las Palmas - Ayestaran says shutting up shop is not an option

Posted Saturday, September 30, 2017 by PA

New Las Palmas coach Pako Ayestaran admits Barcelona are going to make them suffer but insists he will not send his team out with the sole intention of trying to contain the in-form league leaders on Sunday.

Barcelona began the weekend with a four-point lead at the top of LaLiga after winning all six of their matches to date, while they also boast the most prolific attack and meanest defence in the division, with 20 goals scored and only two conceded.

Las Palmas, in contrast, are down in 17th place with six points and having lost their last two matches at the hands of Sevilla and Leganes.

That shock home loss to Leganes led to Manolo Marquez stepping down as coach on Monday night, with Ayestaran named as his replacement on Thursday.

The former Valencia boss now faces a baptism of fire at the Nou Camp - where Barca are on a 15-match winning streak in LaLiga - but he says all-out defence against Lionel Messi and company is not in his plans.

"We have to have the ball, but we know we're going to suffer and we have to be solid," he told a press conference.

"Against Barcelona we cannot only go out to defend, we have to fight for the ball even though we know there will be times when we will be under the cosh.

"We're going to try and be proactive and not respond depending on what our opponents do. We're going to try and ensure this team get results by having possession of the ball.

"This team cannot get results based only on closing up shop, we don't have that type of player."

Injury-hit Las Palmas are without a host of players for the trip to Catalonia, with Vitolo, Sergi Samper, Loic Remy and former Barca prodigy Alen Halilovic among those missing.