Preview: Cadiz vs. Mallorca - prediction, team news, lineups

The visitors will enter the contest off the back of a 1-0 win over Celta Vigo last Friday, while Cadiz suffered a 1-0 defeat to fellow strugglers Sevilla at Estadio Ramon one day later.

Match preview

Cadiz brought a three-game unbeaten run into their contest with Sevilla last weekend, but they suffered a 1-0 loss at Estadio Ramon, with Ivan Rakitic's 89th-minute penalty proving to be the difference between the two sides.

Sergio Gonzalez's side are currently 19th in the La Liga table, having picked up just 16 points this season, winning three, drawing seven and losing eight of their opening 18 matches.

The Yellow Submarine are only one point behind 17th-placed Celta Vigo and just three from Almeria in 14th, though, so the picture towards the bottom of the division could change very quickly.

Cadiz have the second-worst home record in La Liga this season, having picked up just eight points from their opening nine games, and they will be welcoming a Mallorca side that have collected 11 points from nine games on their travels, which is a respectable total.

Mallorca were 2-1 winners when these two sides last locked horns in February 2022, but the reverse fixture at Cadiz's home stadium ended in a 1-1 draw.

Mallorca, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 victory over Celta last Friday, with Dani Rodriguez scoring the only goal in the 59th minute of the clash at Visit Mallorca Estadi.

The result moved Javier Aguirre's side onto 25 points and left them in 10th position in the table, boasting a record of seven wins, four draws and seven defeats from 18 La Liga games this term.

Mallorca are eight points clear of the relegation zone and just three points off the top six, which is an indication of how impressive they have been in the first half of the season.

The Pirates only returned to La Liga last season after a year in the Segunda Division, and they have not actually played back-to-back campaigns in the top flight since 2013.

Mallorca will host Real Madrid in their next league match at the start of February, while they will then travel to Sevilla and host Villarreal in the middle of the month, and it will be fascinating to see what Aguirre's team can achieve this season, as a top-half finish is certainly not beyond them.

Cadiz La Liga form:

D

L

D

W

D

L

Cadiz form (all competitions):

L

W

D

W

D

L

Mallorca La Liga form:

W

W

L

W

L

W

Mallorca form (all competitions):

L

W

W

L

L

W

Team News

Cadiz will be without the services of Ivan Alejo, who was sent off against Sevilla last time out, while Ruben Sobrino's booking in the same match will also rule him out through suspension.

Fede San Emeterio is available after serving a ban of his own, but the Yellow Submarine have a number of injury problems at the moment, with Fali, Jose Mari, David Gil, Juan Cala, Victor Chust and Joseba Zaldua all currently on the sidelines.

Alvaro Negredo could be given the nod in the final third of the field due to Sobrino's absence, with the experienced striker potentially starting alongside Anthony Lozano.

As for Mallorca, Lee Kang-in is available again following a suspension, and he is expected to come back into the starting side on Saturday.

Kang-in could replace Amath Ndiaye, while there might be a change in the middle of midfield, with Clement Grenier potentially coming in for Iddrisu Baba.

Head coach Aguirre is again expected to line his side up in a 5-4-1 formation, with Dani Rodriguez playing off the right and Vedat Muriqi, who has scored eight league goals this season, at centre-forward.

Cadiz possible starting lineup:

Ledesma; Carcelen, Hernandez, Mbaye, Espino; Bongonda, Alcaraz, Alex, Ocampo; Negredo, Lozano

Mallorca possible starting lineup:

Rajkovic; Maffeo, Valjent, Raillo, Nastasic, Costa; D Rodriguez, Grenier, Ruiz de Galarreta, Kang-in; Muriqi

We say: Cadiz 0-0 Mallorca

Cadiz have drawn five of their nine home league matches this season, and a lot of the signs are pointing to a stalemate in this contest. The two sides played out a 1-1 draw when they last locked horns at home of Cadiz, and we are finding it difficult to separate them on Saturday afternoon.

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