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

The home side are currently 15th in the table, one point clear of 18th-placed Getafe, while Mallorca are 12th in the division, seven points clear of the relegation zone with five games left.

Match preview

Mallorca are not yet safe from the threat of relegation, but it would be a huge surprise to see them pulled into danger at this stage of the season, as they are seven points clear of the drop zone with five games left.

The Pirates finished 16th in Spain's top flight last season after securing a return from the Segunda Division, and they are very much on course to better that position in the final weeks of the campaign.

Mallorca are only actually three points behind 10th-placed Osasuna, so the team should be looking up the table rather than down despite their recent issues.

Javier Aguirre's side have only managed to pick up one point from their last three matches, losing to Atletico Madrid and Girona, in addition to playing out a 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao.

Mallorca have some huge games before the end of the season, preparing to face Almeria and Valencia in their two after this one, with both teams involved in relegation battles, while their penultimate match of the campaign is at Camp Nou, but Barcelona should have secured the title by that stage.

Cadiz have finished 12th and 17th in their last two seasons at this level, and they are actually enjoying their best run in Spain's top flight since the early 1990s.

The Yellow Submarine face a battle to retain their status for a fourth season in a row, but they are currently outside of the relegation zone, sitting one point ahead of 18th-placed Getafe.

Cadiz managed to record a huge 2-1 victory over fellow strugglers Valencia on April 30, but Sergio Gonzalez's side will enter this match off the back of a 5-1 defeat at Atletico Madrid on May 3.

El Submarino Amarillo have picked up 14 points from their 16 away league games this season, which is a relatively solid return considering their spot in the table, but Mallorca have been strong at home, collecting 26 points from 16 games in front of their own supporters.

Mallorca also recorded a 2-1 victory when the two teams locked horns for the corresponding match last season, but Cadiz ran out 2-0 winners in the reverse game earlier this term.

Mallorca La Liga form:

D

W

W

L

D

L

Cadiz La Liga form:

W

L

D

L

W

L

Team News

Mallorca will again be missing Matija Nastasic and Giovanni Gonzalez through injury, but Antonio Raillo and Pablo Maffeo are available after serving a suspensions against Girona.

There are not expected to be many surprises when it comes to the forward areas, with Lee Kang-in and Amath Ndiaye again expected to feature alongside Vedat Muriqi.

Kang-in is likely to play in a withdrawn position, though, with Ndiaye pushing up alongside Muriqi, who is the team's leading goalscorer in La Liga this season with 13 goals.

As for Cadiz, their absentee list is lengthy, with Victor Chust, Roger Marti, Brian Ocampo, Juan Cala, Jon Ander Garrido and Joseba Zaldua on the sidelines.

Head coach Sergio is expected to make changes from the side that started the heavy loss at Atletico, with Luis Hernandez, Ruben Sobrino and Fede San Emeterio all set to return following suspensions.

Meanwhile, Anthony Lozano and Chris Ramos could be introduced in the final third of the field, with Alvaro Negredo set to be among those to drop down to the bench.

Mallorca possible starting lineup:

Rajkovic; Maffeo, Valjent, Raillo, Copete, Costa; Morlanes, Ruiz de Galarreta, Kang-in; Muriqi, Ndiaye

Cadiz possible starting lineup:

Ledesma; Parra, Hernandez, Fali, Espino; Alejo, Escalante, San Emeterio, Sobrino; Lozano, Ramos

We say: Mallorca 2-1 Cadiz

Mallorca's home form this season has been strong, winning seven of their 16 matches and suffering just four defeats. Cadiz have actually avoided defeat in half of their 16 away games this term, but we are expecting Mallorca to secure all three points in Friday's contest.

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