Preview: Mallorca vs. Villarreal - prediction, team news

Villarreal will look to maintain their unbeaten start to the 2024-25 La Liga season when they travel to San Moix for Saturday's clash with Mallorca.

The Yellow Submarine are sitting in fourth spot, while the hosts return from the international break in 10th position.

Match preview

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After leaving Osasuna at the end of last season, Jagoba Arrasate has experienced a mixed start to life as Mallorca head coach.

Arrasate began his tenure with a hard-fought draw against La Liga champions Real Madrid, before he oversaw a narrow 1-0 away defeat against his former side Osasuna.

The loss at El Sadar was followed by a goalless home draw against Sevilla, leaving Mallorca without a win in their first three matches of the new season.

Fortunately for Arrasate, he managed to claim his first victory in Mallorca's final game before the international break, with Dani Rodriguez scoring the decisive goal in a narrow 1-0 away win over newly-promoted Leganes.

Having recorded back-to-back victories, Los Piratas will have to produce another strong defensive display if they are to trouble a Villarreal side that has scored nine goals across their first five matches.

Mallorca may be able to take confidence from the fact that they have avoided defeat in three of their last four meetings with Villarreal (W2, D1).

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Having won two and drawn two of their four matches, Villarreal are one of five teams yet to lose a La Liga game this season, along with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Getafe.

After kicking off the season with a 2-2 draw against Atleti, Villarreal went on to record back-to-back victories, beating Sevilla 2-1 at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan and prevailing in a seven-goal thriller against Celta Vigo.

Although they were unable to clinch a third consecutive victory against Valencia, the Yellow Submarine may have been content with a 1-1 draw after playing over 20 minutes with 10 men following Pape Gueye's red card.

The result also extended Villarreal's unbeaten run to eight La Liga matches, with their most recent league defeat taking place against Celta on May 5.

While Marcelino will be pleased with his team's start to the campaign, he will still want his side to improve defensively, having conceded seven goals across their four matches - only Celta and Real Valladolid have conceded more.

Villarreal may have won just one of their last seven away matches against Mallorca, but that sole victory did take place on their most recent visit to San Moix in August 2023 when Gerard Moreno scored the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory.

Team News

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Mallorca defender Pablo Maffeo has been ruled out for over a month after he sustained an injury in the defeat to Leganes.

Maffeo is joined on the sidelines by Javi Llabres and Mateu Morey, who are out with adductor and knee problems respectively.

Forward Vedat Muriqi is expected to be passed fit for Saturday's fixture despite being forced off in Kosovo's recent 4-0 win over Cyprus in the UEFA Nations League.

Meanwhile, the visitors are expected to be without defender Juan Foyth and forward Gerard due to hamstring and knee issues respectively.

There are also doubts surrounding the availability of Willy Kambwala, Alfonso Pedraza and Denis Suarez, while Gueye will serve a one-match suspension following his red card against Valencia.

Summer signing Ayoze Perez is likely to retain his starting spot after scoring two goals in his first four appearances for the Yellow Submarine.

Mallorca possible starting lineup:
Greif; Valery, Raillo, Valjent, Mojica; Costa, Morlanes, Darder; Asano, Rodriguez, Muriqi

Villarreal possible starting lineup:
Conde; Femenia, Albiol, Bailly, Cardona; Pino, Comesana, Parejo, Baena; Barry, Perez

We say: Mallorca 1-2 Villarreal

Villarreal have enjoyed an impressive start to the new season, having showcased their firepower to avoid defeat in each of their four matches, and we think that they will produce another strong attacking display to dispatch Mallorca on Sunday.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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