LaLiga Matchday 22 Preview: Real Madrid go to impressive Las Palmas; Atletico Madrid face Valencia showdown

The LALIGA EA SPORTS title race could hardly be closer, as Girona FC currently lead Real Madrid by one point, although the latter have a game in hand.

This weekend, in Matchday 22, the top two sides in the division embark on long adventures, with the league leaders travelling to Vigo to face RC Celta and with Carlo Ancelotti's side flying out to the Canary Islands to take on in-form UD Las Palmas.

The matchday will begin on Friday night, when UD Almería take on Deportivo Alavés at the Power Horse Stadium. The home side still haven't won a league game this season, but they have been playing a lot better in recent weeks and will hope that this weekend they finally have a three-point haul to celebrate.

Four games will take place across Saturday, starting with Real Sociedad's clash with Rayo Vallecano. A stoppage time long-range strike from Bebé made it a 2-2 draw when these sides met earlier in the season and, even though the Cape Verde player is currently away at the Africa Cup of Nations, La Real will know that Rayo Vallecano are a dangerous opponent.

Saturday afternoon throws up a very interesting game at 4.15pm CET as Real Madrid visit UD Las Palmas for the first time since 2018. This will be a duel between the best two defences in the division, as the Canary Islanders have conceded just 17 goals and Los Blancos 13, and it'll be a tricky test for Real Madrid's players, many of whom will play at the Estadio de Gran Canaria for the first time in their careers.

FC Barcelona are in action immediately afterwards, hosting a Villarreal CF side who they defeated 4-3 earlier in the season. In fact, it's quite often a goal fest when these two sides meet, with their past 10 meetings having produced four goals per game on