November 1, 2024. 10:00 p.m. Victoria Mendizorrotza
La Liga 2024-25. Day 12
Alaves (Vitoria) – Mallorca
Where to watch: RAINBOWVolia TV
Suspended : Samu Costa (Mallorca)
Injuries : Hugo Novoa – Ivan Cuellar, Javi Llabrés, Takuma Asano
At risk of suspension: Manu Sanchez (Alaves)
Alaves
Luis Garcia Plaza’s men finally managed to secure their first victory since September 20 this week, with the Basques triumphing 2-1 over Sevilla at home. The blue and white also secured a narrow 1-0 victory over fourth division club Compostela in the first round of the Copa del Rey, with the only goal being scored by Kike Vidal who unfortunately scored an own goal in the 12th minute. Nonetheless, the minor success could provide the necessary boost to Alaves’ players, who have rapidly fallen from the top spots of the La Liga table towards the relegation zone.
Following their aforementioned victory against Sevilla, the Babazorros suffered five consecutive defeats in the league. Before the October international break, Garcia Plaza’s team lost away to Real Madrid (2-3) and Getafe (0-2), while at home they were beaten 0-3 by FC Barcelona. In their next home game, the blue and white again conceded three goals, this time against a much more modest Valladolid, only managing to score twice in response. Last weekend, Alaves suffered a narrow defeat against Rayo Vallecano (0-1) in Madrid, despite having a numerical advantage since the 22nd minute.
Mallorca
The islanders did not play in the Copa del Rey this week due to qualifying for the final of the previous tournament, granting them a bye for the first two rounds of the cup. However, the Balearic team had little time to rest. Their last league match took place last Monday, closing the 11th day, and now they will open the 12th in Vitoria. The recent results of Jagoba Arrasate’s team have mainly delighted their supporters. What also delights them is Mallorca’s position in the ranking, currently shared between 5th and 8th place with Athletic Club, Betis and Osasuna, with a total of 18 points.
After the international break in September, the islanders suffered a disheartening home defeat to Villarreal (1-2), but then secured three straight wins, narrowly beating Real Sociedad, Betis and Valladolid. Notably, the last two victories came away, which was previously a rarity for the Balearic team. Following their third consecutive away match, where they lost to Espanyol, the team got back on track after the second autumn international break, picking up four points from two home games, winning 1 -0 against Rayo Vallecano and settling for a goalless draw against Athletic Club despite being sent off in the 23rd minute.
Alaves – Mallorca : Expected teams
For Alaves, only rotation player Hugo Novoa will be unavailable. Meanwhile, central defenders Aleksandar Sedlar and Abdel Abkar, as well as striker Kike Garcia, return to the squad. The latter two were missing the previous game due to suspension, while the former was sidelined due to injury. On the Mallorca side, reserves Ivan Cuellar and Javi Llabrés, as well as winger Takuma Asano, remain unavailable due to injuries. Additionally, key midfielder Samu Costa will miss the match in Vitoria due to suspension.
Alaves – Mallorca : Author’s prediction
Alaves have gradually gained a reputation for being solid in home games, but their last two games have not gone as expected for Luis Garcia Plaza’s side. However, although they had no chances against FC Barcelona, their defeat against Valladolid was particularly disappointing. Perhaps the third time will be the charm for the Basques who aim to get back to winning ways, even if they still seem far from their best form. On the other hand, Mallorca have won three of their five away matches this season and boast an active unbeaten run in direct clashes with Alaves, with three wins and two draws in the last five encounters. I suspect the minimum task for the Islanders will be to avoid defeat. In my opinion, Mallorca could get a draw in Vitoria, but it’s hard to believe in an away win. For the hosts, a draw might not be the worst result, but I think they will make every effort to get their first La Liga win in over a month.
