Sports Mole previews Friday’s La Liga clash between Real Valladolid and Mallorca, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Mallorca will be bidding to continue their impressive start to the 2024-25 La Liga campaign when they make the trip to Estadio Jose Zorrilla on Friday night to tackle Real Valladolid.
The visitors have picked up 11 points from their first seven matches of the season to sit in fifth spot in the table, while Real Valladolid are 18th, boasting five points from their opening seven games.
Match preview
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Real Valladolid’s start to the season has not exactly been disastrous, boasting a record of one win, two draws and four defeats from their seven matches to collect five points, which has left them in 18th position.
However, they also have the worst defensive record in La Liga this term – conceding 15 times in their seven matches, with seven of those coming in one game against the division leaders Barcelona.
Paulo Pezzolano‘s side are also the joint-lowest goalscorers in La Liga at the start of the new season, having only found the back of the net on three occasions, so there are already some worrying signs.
The White and Violets finished second in last season’s Segunda Division to secure a return to the top level, and they opened their 2024-25 campaign with a 1-0 success over Espanyol.
Just two points have been collected from their six games since, though, and they will enter this match off the back of a 2-1 loss at Sevilla on Tuesday night, with Chidera Ejuke hitting a late winner for the hosts.
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Mallorca, meanwhile, recorded an impressive 2-1 victory over Real Betis last time out, with Valery netting the winner in the 93rd minute of the contest in Seville.
Jagoba Arrasate‘s side boast a record of three wins, two draws and two defeats from their seven league games this season to collect 11 points, which has led them in fifth position in the table.
The Pirates have only scored six times, but they have the joint-second best defensive record in the league this season, conceding only five times, which is the same as both Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Mallorca have finished 16th, ninth and 15th in their three campaigns since returning to the top flight, and it would not be a surprise to see them in the top half of the division come the end of the season.
The corresponding match between these two sides during the 2022-23 La Liga campaign finished 3-3, but Real Valladolid have actually won two of their last four meetings, with Mallorca posting just one win in that period.
Real Valladolid La Liga form:
Mallorca La Liga form:
Team News
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Real Valladolid remain without the services of Anuar Tuhami due to a hernia problem, while Cesar de la Hoz, Javi Sanchez and Cenk Ozkacar could again miss out on Friday night.
Head coach Pezzolano will make changes to the side that started against Sevilla, with Juanmi Latasa in line to return in the final third, while Ivan Sanchez should also be introduced in a wide area.
Raul Moro is another who could be brought into an attacking spot against Mallorca, as Pezzolano looks to find the right formula in the final third of the field.
As for Mallorca, Takuma Asano, Vedat Muriqi, Siebe Van der Heyden and Javier Llabres will miss out against Real Valladolid due to fitness problems.
The team did not pick up any fresh issues against Real Betis, though, so it would not be a surprise to see the same XI take to the field for this contest.
Muriqi’s absence should mean another start at centre-forward for Cyle Larin, while Dani Rodriguez, Sergi Darder and Robert Navarro are also expected to be in the starting side.
Real Valladolid possible starting lineup:
Hein; L Perez, Comert, Torres, Rosa; Martin, Juric, K Perez; Moro, Latasa, I Sanchez
Mallorca possible starting lineup:
Greif; Sanchez, Valjent, Raillo, Mojica; Mascarell, S Costa; Navarro, D Rodriguez, Darder; Larin
We say: Real Valladolid 1-1 Mallorca
The two teams shared the points when they last locked horns in April 2023, and we can see another stalemate here. Mallorca will enter the match in the stronger form, but Real Valladolid are unbeaten at home in the league this season, including draws in their last two matches.
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