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

The visitors are currently 13th in Spain's top flight, picking up 15 points from their opening 14 matches of the season, while Mallorca are 17th, collecting only 10 points from their first 14 games.

Match preview

Mallorca finished ninth in La Liga last season, which proved to be their best final placing since the 2011-12 campaign, but it would be fair to say that the team have struggled in the opening months of this campaign.

Javier Aguirre's side boast a record of one win, seven draws and six defeats from their opening 14 matches of the season, which has left them down in 17th position, just two points clear of the relegation zone.

Goals have been a real problem for the Pirates this season, finding the back of the net on just 13 occasions, which is a record only worsened by Las Palmas (11) and Cadiz (11).

Mallorca's only league win of the campaign came away to Celta Vigo in the middle of September, and they have lost three of their last five matches in Spain's top flight during a disappointing run of form.

Los Bermellones shared the spoils with Cadiz on Wednesday evening, which proved to be their seventh La Liga draw of the campaign, which is a league-high alongside Getafe and Rayo Vallecano.

Alaves, meanwhile, are on a run of three wins from their last four games in all competitions, including two of their last three in La Liga, beating Almeria and Granada either side of a 2-1 loss to Barcelona.

Luis Garcia's side have moved away from the bottom three due to their recent results, with a total of 15 points from 14 matches leaving them in 13th position heading into the next set of fixtures.

Alaves are also among the lowest goalscorers in the division, netting just 14 times, but they have only conceded 19, while Mallorca have shipped 20 goals, and neither are disastrous records.

El Glorioso secured a return back to this level through last season's Segunda Division playoffs, and they will be bidding to consolidate back at this level after dropping out of La Liga for the 2022-23 campaign.

Alaves, who are seeking back-to-back wins in La Liga for the first time this season, have actually lost each of their last league games with Mallorca, including a 2-1 defeat in the corresponding fixture during the 2021-22 campaign.

Mallorca La Liga form:

D

L

D

L

L

D

Mallorca form (all competitions):

L

D

W

L

L

D

Alaves La Liga form:

D

D

L

W

L

W

Alaves form (all competitions):

D

L

W

W

L

W

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Team News

Mallorca will be missing Pablo Maffeo and Vedat Muriqi through injury this weekend, while Antonio Raillo and Jaume Costa are doubts due to muscular problems.

The home side will also be unable to call upon Dani Rodriguez, as the midfielder is suspended due to the yellow card that he picked up in the home draw with Cadiz last time out.

Giovanni Gonzalez and Toni Lato will seemingly come into the side for Maffeo and Costa, while Raillo could be replaced by Matija Nastasic, with the hosts facing a defensive reshuffle.

Amath Ndiaye is set to replace Rodriguez in midfield, but Muriqi's absence means that Abdon Prats and Cyle Larin should continue as the front two for the home side here.

As for Alaves, Aleksandar Sedlar is out for the season with a serious knee injury, while Giuliano Simeone remains on the sidelines with an ankle problem that he suffered during pre-season.

Samu Omorodion has scored twice in his last two appearances and will again operate at the tip of the attack, while Jon Guridi should also keep his spot in an attacking area.

Antonio Blanco played the full 90 minutes against Granada last time out and should continue in midfield, while Luis Rioja will feature in a wide area for the Basque outfit this weekend.

Mallorca possible starting lineup:

Rajkovic; Gonzalez, Valjent, Nastasic, Copete, Lato; Ndiaye, Costa, Darder; Larin, Prats

Alaves possible starting lineup:

Sivera; Gorosabel, Abqar, Marin, J Lopez; Blanco, Guevara; Rioja, Guridi, Rebbach; Omorodion

We say: Mallorca 1-1 Alaves

Mallorca have drawn half of their 14 league matches this season, and we are expecting another stalemate here. Alaves will fancy their chances of claiming all three points considering their recent form, but Mallorca should be good enough for a share of the spoils on Sunday afternoon.

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