Facing UD Las Palmas is always special for Omar Mascarell.

Not only be returning to where he grew up, but also to the stadium where he made his debut for Mallorca last season as RCD Mallorcaface UD Las Palmas at the Estadio de Gran Canaria this Saturday, at 6.30pm. 

"It's clear that I'm from Tenerife, but I'm always excited to go because the proximity of the island means that many friends and family members will be able to come, and it's always good to see them as I see them very little during the year," said Mascarell.

"Las Palmas are in a good run of form with the change of coach, but I think we are also doing very well’. He added that ‘it's going to be a complicated game’, but that Jagoba Arrasate's side will ‘go for the three points’.

Omar also recalled the excitement of Equatorial Guinea's recent qualification for the Africa Cup, news that they celebrated as a family during the concentration at the hotel: ‘We knew it could happen, Liberia beat Togo and that made us mathematically qualified. It was an immense joy, we all celebrated together. The next day we played at home, in our stadium, with our people, and it was a total party.

"I'm adapting very well. When I made the decision it was because I was completely sure that this is what I wanted in my career and in my life. It's been a brutal few months. I'm very happy. Every time I go there I have a great time with my colleagues, with the people.... What we experience there makes us grow a lot."