European hopefuls Mallorca will be bidding to stretch their unbeaten run of form to seven matches when they resume their La Liga campaign with a contest against relegation-threatened Valencia on Sunday evening.
Mallorca are currently seventh in the La Liga table, four points behind fifth-placed Villarreal, while Valencia are 16th, one point outside the relegation zone entering the final stages of the campaign.
Match preview
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Valencia have only been beaten in one of their last seven La Liga matches, but the strugglers remain firmly in a survival battle, with 28 points from 28 games leaving them in 16th, just one point outside the relegation zone.
Los Che were 2-1 winners over Real Valladolid in their last match in front of their own fans on March 8, before picking up a welcome point away to Girona in their last game before the international break.
Carlos Corberan's side will tackle Real Madrid away next weekend, which strengthens their need to pick up a positive result in this match, and their home form is likely to be crucial when it comes to their fight to remain in the division.
Valencia have picked up 21 points from their 14 league fixtures at Mestalla this season, but they will be welcoming a Mallorca side that have managed to record five victories on their travels.
Los Che are six-time La Liga champions, while they have not played outside the top flight since 1987, so it would be a huge story if the team were relegated this season.
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Mallorca, though, are looking up the table rather than down, with a strong campaign leaving Jagoba Arrasate's side in seventh spot, only four points behind fifth-placed Villarreal.
The Pirates are also four points off sixth-placed Real Betis, so they are firmly involved in a European battle at this stage of the campaign, but a lack of goals could ultimately cost them the chance to secure continental football for next term.
Indeed, Mallorca have only managed 28 goals in their 28 matches, which is the worst attacking record in the top 10, but a strong run of form would certainly have boosted confidence in the camp at a key stage of the season.
Arrasate's team are unbeaten in their last six league matches, and they will enter this clash off the back of a 2-1 success over Espanyol, with that win following three straight draws against Sevilla, Alaves and Athletic Bilbao.
Mallorca recorded a 2-1 victory over Valencia in the reverse game earlier this season, but it was 0-0 when the two teams locked horns for the corresponding contest during the 2023-24 campaign.
Team News
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Valencia head coach Corberan could name an unchanged side for the home fixture against Mallorca.
Thierry Correia remains a long-term absentee due to a serious knee injury, while Hugo Duro and Ivan Jaime are again set to be unavailable for selection, but Los Che have not reported any fresh concerns.
A 5-4-1 formation should again include Umar Sadiq at centre-forward, with the 28-year-old bidding to add to the five goals that he has scored since making the move to the club on loan from Real Sociedad.
As for Mallorca, Robert Navarro remains on the sidelines with a hamstring issue, but there will be a return to the squad for Copete, who was absent against Espanyol last time out through suspension.
Copete's return could see Mallorca switch back to a five-man defence, potentially matching up to Valencia, with Dani Rodriguez likely to be the player to drop out in the final third of the field.
Vedat Muriqi struck a 97th-minute winner from the penalty spot against Espanyol after netting an own goal and missing an earlier spot kick, and there will be another start through the middle for the 30-year-old.
Valencia possible starting lineup:
Mamardashvili; Foulquier, Diakhaby, Tarrega, Mosquera, Gaya; Almeida, Guerra, Barrenechea, D Lopez; Sadiq
Mallorca possible starting lineup:
Greif; Maffeo, Valjent, Copete, Raillo, Mojica; Asano, Morlanes, S Costa, Darder; Muriqi
We say: Valencia 0-0 Mallorca
Two five-man defences are expected to take to the field this weekend, so we are not predicting a high-scoring classic here; it was 0-0 when the pair locked horns at Mestalla last season, and we are backing the same scoreline to occur on Sunday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
