Mallorca will be bidding to continue their impressive start to the 2024-25 La Liga campaign when they welcome Athletic Bilbao for an intriguing contest on Monday night.
The home side are currently sixth in the La Liga table, boasting 17 points from their opening 10 matches, while Athletic are fifth, also on 17 points from their first 10 domestic games of the current season.
Match preview
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Under talented head coach Jagoba Arrasate, who arrived from Osasuna over the summer, Mallorca have made a strong start to the campaign, winning five, drawing two and losing three of their 10 matches to collect 17 points.
The Pirates are currently sixth in the table, just one point behind fourth-placed Villarreal, while they are only three from third-placed Atletico Madrid, with the team's success this term being built on a strong defence.
Indeed, Arrasate's side have only conceded eight times in their 10 games, with Real Madrid (seven) and Atletico Madrid (eight) the only sides to have let in fewer at this stage of the campaign.
Mallorca will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 success over Rayo Vallecano, with Vedat Muriqi netting the winner in the 76th minute, and they have been victorious in four of their last five games in Spain's top flight.
The Pirates finished 15th in La Liga last term, so there is clear room for improvement this season, and they could be surprise contenders for a European spot come the end of the campaign.
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Athletic boast the same record as Mallorca this season, winning five, drawing two and losing three of their 10 matches to collect 17 points, which has left them in fifth spot in the division.
The Lions have scored 17 times in La Liga this term, with Villarreal (18), Real Madrid (21) and Barcelona (33) the only three sides to have netted more in 2024-25, but they have conceded 11 times.
Ernesto Valverde's side finished fifth in Spain's top flight last season, and the Basque outfit will be targeting a similar spot in 2024-25, but a top-four challenge cannot be ruled out if they are able to find their best form.
Athletic will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 victory over Slavia Prague in the Europa League, while they recorded a 4-1 win over Espanyol in La Liga last weekend, so the visitors will be going in search of a third straight success on Monday night.
The Lions recorded a 4-0 win over Mallorca when the two teams last locked horns in February, but the corresponding match during the 2023-24 campaign ended in a goalless draw.
Team News
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Mallorca will again be without the services of two players this weekend, with Ivan Cuellar and Takuma Asano unavailable for selection, but the home side have not reported any fresh concerns.
Head coach Arrasate could decide to name the same side that took to the field for the first whistle against Rayo Vallecano, with Muriqi set to be joined in the final third of the field by Cyle Larin.
Robert Navarro and Sergi Darder are likely to continue in the wide areas, with Samu Costa featuring in central midfield.
As for Athletic, Unai Simon is still unavailable due to a wrist problem, but Aitor Paredes is set to return to the side, having missed the clash with Espanyol last weekend due to a domestic suspension.
Oihan Sancet also made his return from injury off the bench in Thursday's Europa League contest, so it is possible that Simon will be the team's only absentee, giving Valverde a strong squad to choose from.
Nico Williams and Inaki Williams are certain starters for Athletic, while Gorka Guruzeta should continue at centre-forward, with Alex Berenguer also set to feature in an advanced area on Monday night.
Mallorca possible starting lineup:
Greif; Maffeo, Valjent, Raillo, Mojica; Navarro, Morlanes, Costa, Darder; Muriqi, Larin
Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:
Agirrezabala; De Marcos, Vivian, Paredes, Yuri; Ruiz de Galarreta, Jauregizar; I Williams, Berenguer, N Williams; Guruzeta
We say: Mallorca 1-1 Athletic Bilbao
Three of the last four La Liga meetings between these two sides have finished level, and we are expecting another draw here. Athletic are a quality outfit, but Mallorca have been very impressive this season, and we are finding it very difficult to separate the two sides on Monday night.
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