There is no respite in a busy schedule, and Mallorca, which closed its last match against Athletic on Monday, will prepare to start the twelfth day this Friday against Deportivo Alavés in Mendizorroza (9:00 p.m., Movistar TV) . Another high stakes test. Another difficult encounter. Another match of the greatest complexity, because in La Liga, no one gives gifts, and despite Alavés’ bad luck, a fierce battle is expected this evening at Mendizorroza. This match pits two teams with diametrically opposed trajectories against each other.
The Arrasate team occupies seventh place with 18 points, while their opponent this Friday trails in sixteenth position with 10 points. The gap is not insurmountable; a victory or defeat at this stage can either lift us out of the depths of relegation or bring us back to calm. However, the psychological impact of five consecutive defeats weighs heavily on anyone, and Mallorca will look to exploit the anxiety of an opponent who is injured but far from defeated.
Among those five defeats are expected losses against Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, with narrow setbacks against Valladolid (2-3) and Rayo (1-0). A 2-0 defeat to Getafe further illustrates Alavés’ struggles. Meanwhile, Jagoba Arrasate deserves significant praise for helping Mallorca progress in every game, ensuring they play well for long periods and show comeback ability. This was evident last weekend when they lost Samu Costa to a red card in the 22nd minute but managed to cope with the rest of the game while being outnumbered.
It was a titanic effort, with even more merit than winning a match at full strength. The match confirmed the team’s ability to combine character and sacrifice with the ability to create football and challenge opponents head on. There is still a way to go, and the real test of the league is played game by game, but going to Vitoria with the margin for error that the Rojillos have is different from playing like Alavés will, with one foot in the relegation zone and minimal room for maneuver.
For tonight’s showdown, the Mallorca coach will be without Samu Costa due to suspension and Asano, who remains injured. Llabrés is also absent, as is Cuéllar. On the other hand, Domenech makes his return. From this moment on, the coach will look for the best formula to face a very struggling opponent.
The good news is that there are many alternatives to field a more robust midfielder or adopt a more dynamic profile in search of the opponent’s goal.
Mascarell is likely to start in place of Samu Costa in a midfield where Morlanes could also continue, and it remains to be seen whether Dani and Antonio Sánchez, who came on in the second half in the last match, will find their place in the starting XI. Although Jagoba generally tends not to modify a winning formula, one must consider the kilometers that players accumulate in their legs without replicating the performance against Espanyol in Cornellà.
However, some players are reaching their peak form, such as Maffeo, Raíllo, Valjent and Mojica, the defensive quartet. In midfield, Darder, Valery, Antonio, Navarro and Dani are also in great form, waiting for Chiquinho to continue to impress. Muriqi seems likely to start if a single striker is preferred, while Larin could go with him if they play with two strikers.
Deportivo Alavés welcome back Aleksandar Sedlar after his injury, as well as Abqar, who missed the last Cup match. Hugo Novoa is absent. The match is scheduled to kick off at 9:00 p.m.
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