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Sports Mole previews Thursday's Copa del Rey clash between Ontinena and Las Palmas, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Las Palmas make the trip to the autonomous community of Aragon to face sixth-tier outfit Ontinena in the first round of the Copa del Rey on Thursday evening.

The winners of this contest will advance to the second round where they will be joined by 55 other clubs ahead of next month's draw.

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Match preview

After narrowly avoiding relegation from La Liga last season, finishing 16th, Las Palmas endured a disappointing start to the new campaign and failed to win any of their opening nine league matches, conceding 17 goals in the process.

However, Los Amarillos have since turned a corner and have won their last two games, with a 3-2 victory against basement club Valencia followed by a slender 1-0 home win over Girona last weekend, courtesy of a first-half goal from Alex Munoz.

Diego Martinez hailed the spirit of his players and the crowd's contribution to Las Palmas' latest triumph, which has seen them climb off the foot of the La Liga table and up to 18th place, just one point adrift of safety.

Before travelling to Atletico Madrid for their next top-flight fixture on Sunday, Las Palmas will turn their attention to the Copa de Rey, a competition that they have never won but have progressed from the first round in each of the last 34 years.

Las Palmas will be considered as strong favourites to prevail against an Ontinena outfit, who will become the smallest locality with just over 500 inhabitants to participate in the Copa del Rey in its 121-year history.

The Aragon-based team have reached the first round proper after beating fellow non-league side Baztan 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in normal time of their preliminary-round clash on October 9.

Manager Tito Peinado has described Thursday's historic fixture, which will be played around 30 minute away from the club's El Balsal home ground at Estadio Isidro Calderon, as "unique" and "much more than just a football game" for the Spanish minnows.

Ontinena enter this contest in impressive form having not lost any of their last 15 games in all competitions, most recently drawing 1-1 with Robres to remain second in the Regional Preferente - Group 1 standing and level on points with leaders Internacional Huesca.

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