Pako Ayestaran says shutting up shop is not an option for his Las Palmas team

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.

Barcelona have not lost to Las Palmas since 1982, while the Canary Islanders have to go back to 1971 for their last victory at the Nou Camp.

Barca boss Ernesto Valverde is taking nothing for granted, though.

He said on his club’s website: “The characteristics of the Las Palmas players haven’t changed and Pako Ayestaran hasn’t had much time to work with them. But there is a certain element of surprise involved, although not much can change in two days.

“But we do have the reference of when he coached Valencia to a win here (in April 2016).

“I’m sure he’ll structure the team around his tastes. Las Palmas have plenty of skill and like to play the ball and cause damage through football, and I can see Ayestaran continuing with that.”

Due to the international break, Barca are next in action in a fortnight’s time when they face a daunting trip to Atletico Madrid.

Valverde, who has omitted Paco Alcacer, Jordi Alba and Lucas Digne from his squad to face Las Palmas and is also without injured duo Ousmane Dembele and Rafinha, is hoping they will head to Atletico’s new Wanda Metropolitano home with their 100 per cent start intact.

He added: “It’s very important to win going into the international break. The first (break) came very quickly and this one comes after the ninth competitive match. We’ll try to go into it with a full house of wins, which would be a great end to this first stage.”