The brains of the Canarian Tenerife-Las Palmas derby: Ramis versus Pimienta, crossroads of styles and trends

The fifth playoff in the Miguel Ángel Ramírez era is the most exciting. Two branded styles. The pause and elegance of Jonathan Viera against the muscle of Ramis. Pepper and the baroque touch against Soriano and Aitor Sanz.

Two ways to understand this game. For the yellow team, the ball is a religion (the team from Gran Canaria reigns in the possession table with 59%). Always from behind, with a perfectionist spirit. First it was with José Mel Pérez and then with Xavi García Pimienta. UD is the second team that dribbles the most (456) and only surpassed by Valladolid, who won their place in heaven last Sunday. In addition, those of Pimienta have a very particular vision of understanding this profession. They are an industry of won duels (1806) in an eternal struggle for possession. First the ball, and then the ball and more ball. In this grade, in the two league pulses, UD did their homework with the genius of Álvaro Lemos (2-1) and then Kirian Rodríguez wrote his name on El Teide at the crossing of the centenary (0-1). These 180 minutes are worth reference as it is a crossing of creeds. In Gran Canaria, the domain was yellow with a giant Viera. From the control of the ball, Las Palmas recreates itself to reveal itself in the fittest team in the championship. «We go from humility and without complexes. Blood is smelled and we are counting on that precise patience. No one gave a dime for us and we are there, fourth and with morale through the roof. You get to feel dizzy. Seeing us at this level leaves you cold. We seem invincible », they value from the noble zone of the yellow entity. Having the home court factor in their favor –the return leg is on Saturday at Siete Palmas– is another reason for delirium. Queues, passion and a yellow fans that do not forget the taunts of a Tenerife that came to fight for direct promotion.

The Ramis formation defends like few others. The goalkeeper Soriano is one of the banners. But something has gone wrong, three consecutive losses that trigger all the alarms. Álvaro Lemos himself assessed a few months ago the hypothetical possibility of crossing paths with Tenerife. They were nightmarish times. Dark times. The tables have turned dramatically. “A matchup with Tenerife in the playoff would be like a Champions League match.” The Galician dream has come true. The most passionate crossover arrives that puts on the table two ways of attacking. UD, with Jesé and Viera, is a spark. A Lamborghini Spider. For his part, ‘Tete’ uses the set piece in a masterful way. Compete from physical strength. They don’t have Viera. They also do not handle the factor of canarity. “Derbies are not played, they are won,” said Pepe Mel, who ended 20 years of torture at the Heliodoro. Caprices of the ball, he would be dismissed a few weeks after taking El Teide. No one can understand this business, which cruelly forgets the myths.

A night to frame

The soul of the invincible wears Armani. “Highly strung? I have come for games like these, ”Jonathan Viera repeated yesterday when mention was made of the derby of the century. With fourteen goals, the ’21’ already equals his best scoring mark in a single season. In the temple of the fabada an ovation was received. Surrendered to the charms of the best player in the Second Division. «They wanted the Canarian Messi and here he is. The rest is football,” insists Miguel Ángel Ramírez, who comes out reinforced by manual management. What seemed like a fiasco man has become the mother of all streaks. Eleven days without losing and a carousel of genius. The genius of La Feria chains six duels seeing goal. Something unique. Unrepeatable. Pimienta’s team is the one that scores the most from outside the area (15) and the one that recreates the most with good passes in the opposite field (8,377).

He is also the one who moves the ball the most and best in his own field (9,808). There are 18,091 short deliveries. The passes of glory. The team that pulls the most in the silver competition is UD (226). A crazy team that beats in a spiral of fantasy. The ’21’ is the promotion prefix. Call the sky.

From ‘see you on the bus’ by Paco Herrera to Pimienta’s heavenly symphony. With Viera, at the best moment of his career, anything can happen. Fasten seat belts. The Lamborghini puts the direct. The most marked crossing of styles in the category arrives. The yellows are the fantasy while the ‘Tete’ is the rigor. Art or cement. The chicharreros have kept a clean sheet 16 times and are the best visitor in the Second Division. But a derby is the host. And if you’re playing for a promotion, only Jesus can go down. My God, let the party begin.