The opening game of the second round of fixtures in La Liga this season takes place on the 18th of August as Mallorca meet Villarreal.
The match will be played at the Estadio Iberoamericano 2010 and the hosts are currently 8th in the table with 1 point while the visitors are 15th without a point to their name.
¡El palo evitó el empate de @JuanMFoyth! #LaLigaHighlights #VillarrealRealBetis 0-1 (59') pic.twitter.com/iA3IuycVBZ— Villarreal CF (@VillarrealCF) August 13, 2023
¡El palo evitó el empate de @JuanMFoyth! #LaLigaHighlights #VillarrealRealBetis 0-1 (59') pic.twitter.com/iA3IuycVBZ
Mallorca come into the game having started the season with a 1-1 draw at Las Palmas. It was Las Palmas who opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 29th minute and they led at the interval.
Mallorca came back in the second half and scored the equalising goal in the 70th minute to take a point.
The draw with Las Palmas means Mallorca are undefeated in 3 of their 4 most recent league fixtures.
They beat Valencia and Rayo Vallecano at home in La Liga last season but have recorded only 3 wins from their last 9 league games. All 3 of the victories have come when playing at home.
Trends show Mallorca are undefeated in their last 7 home La Liga matches.
They have won 4 of their last 5 home league games and have kept a clean sheet in each of their 3 most recent league matches on home soil.
There have been under 2.5 goals scored in 6 of Mallorca’s last 8 home La Liga games.
Villarreal travel to the Estadio Iberoamericano 2010 having lost their opening league fixture of the season at home to Real Betis last weekend.
Real Betis opened the scoring in the 20th minute and led 1-0 at half time. Villarreal scored the equaliser in the 61st minute but Real Betis silenced the home fans with the winning goal in added time.
The defeat against Real Betis means Villarreal have failed to win any of their 3 most recent games in La Liga.
They were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Atletico Madrid in the final match of last season and lost 2-1 at Rayo Vallecano in their penultimate La Liga game of the 2022/23 campaign.
Trends show Villarreal have won 1 of their 4 most recent away league fixtures.
The win came at Girona last season and there was a draw at Valencia but defeats against Sevilla and Rayo Vallecano. Villarreal have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 5 away La Liga games.
Team news: Mallorca have no injury or suspension concerns ahead of this match. Sergi Darder and Antonio Raíllo are pushing for a place in the starting XI.
Villarreal are without injured central midfielder Francis Coquelin who has a long term knee problem.
Alberto Moreno was forced off early against Real Betis and could be replaced by Alfonso Pedraza at left back.
Mallorca have a strong recent home record in La Liga and will be aiming to build on that this season.
This could be a second successive loss at the start of the season for Villarreal and we expect Mallorca to come out on top, with under 2.5 goals scored in the game.