When Cadiz travels to Visit Mallorca Estadi on Friday night to face Mallorca, they will be attempting to significantly improve their chances of remaining in the La Liga.
With five games remaining, Mallorca is in the division’s top spot, seven points above the relegation zone, while the away team is now 15th in the standings, one point ahead of 18th placed Getafe.
Match Preview
After losing away matches last weekend with second half consolation goals, Mallorca and Cádiz still have work to do to guarantee their spots in La Liga (LL) for the upcoming season. After a disappointing trip to Girona (L 2-1), Mallorca entered this round seven points above the danger zone. Mallorca is now aiming for a third straight home victory over Cadiz, which would also exact revenge for the 2-0 defeat they suffered in the earlier meeting.
However, a 1-0 loss to Elche in March as part of a W4, D2, L2 LL home record against such opposition is just one reminder that they cannot take these games for granted. Mallorca have the advantage of three home matches against teams that are all starting this round outside the top eight. That loss was the first of five straight LL home games in which they were defeated without scoring before halftime, which is rarely a sign of success.
Cádiz will be trying to get past their worst loss in 22 LL games (L 5-1 at Atlético Madrid), but there is a lengthy list of evidence to suggest they can do it after going eight months without a straight LL loss after starting the season with five straight losses. The World Cup was the last time Cádiz traveled on consecutive away days, so this will present something of a fresh challenge for the relegation threatened team.
There is only one point separating Cádiz from the bottom three, but with four other teams now in the bottom half of the standings to play in their next five games, they will have some fantastic chances to pull away from the relegation fight, even if they also have a mixed record against such teams.
In three of their previous four LL home games, Mallorca midfielder Lee Kang-In has found some unexpected but timely scoring form at Estadi Mallorca Son Moix, scoring within the first 15 minutes after halftime. Théo Bongonda will be attempting to surpass him on the scoreboard after one of his two opening goals in 2022/23 came in the inverse H2H.
Team News
Matija Nastasic and Giovanni Gonzalez will be out again for Mallorca due to injury, although Antonio Raillo and Pablo Maffeo are back after serving suspensions against Girona.
There shouldn’t be many shocks in the forward positions since Lee Kang-In and Amath Ndiaye are anticipated to once again play with Vedat Muriqi.
But with Ndiaye pushing up alongside Muriqi, the team’s top La Liga scorer with 13 goals this season, Kang-In is expected to play in a withdrawn position.
Victor Chust, Roger Marti, Brian Ocampo, Juan Cala, Jon Ander Garrido, and Joseba Zaldua are just a few of the notable absentees for Cadiz.
Luis Hernandez, Ruben Sobrino, and Fede San Emeterio are all expected to make changes from the lineup that began the lopsided loss at Atletico, having served their bans.
Alvaro Negredo is anticipated to be among those moving down to the bench, while Anthony Lozano and Chris Ramos may be introduced in the last third of the field.
Mallorca possible starting lineup
Rajkovic, Maffeo, Valjent, Raillo, Copete, Costa, Morlanes, Ruiz de Galarreta, Kang-In, Muriqi and Ndiaye.
Cadiz possible starting lineup
Ledesma, Parra, Hernandez, Fali, Espino, Alejo, Escalante, San Emeterio, Sobrino, Ramos and Lozano.
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We predict: Mallorca 2-1 Cadiz
This season, Mallorca has played well at home, winning seven of their 16 games and losing just four. Even though Mallorca is predicted to win on Friday, Cadiz has actually avoided defeat in half of their 16 away games this season.