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

The Yellow Submarine will enter the contest off the back of a 1-0 loss at home to Barcelona, while Mallorca suffered a 2-0 defeat to Sevilla in their last match in Spain's top flight.

Match preview

Mallorca have actually won six of their last 11 league matches, and it has been a successful season to date, picking up 28 points from 21 games to sit 10th in the table.

The Pirates finished 16th in La Liga last season after returning from the Segunda Division, and they are bidding to make it three straight campaigns at this level for the first time since 2013.

Mallorca are eight points clear of the relegation zone and just three points behind eighth-placed Villarreal, so Javier Aguirre's side should be looking up the division rather than down at this stage of the season.

Los Bermellones recorded a 1-0 victory over the champions Real Madrid on February 5 but could not build on the impressive success, suffering a 2-0 defeat to Sevilla last time out.

Mallorca's home form this season has been relatively strong, picking up 17 points from 10 matches, and they will be welcoming a Villarreal side who have only won three of their 11 away league games this term.

Villarreal, meanwhile, have been in disappointing form over the last month, being knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Real Madrid, in addition to losing three of their last four league matches.

Indeed, Quique Setien's side have not triumphed in La Liga since January 22, losing 1-0 to Rayo Vallecano, 3-1 to Elche and 1-0 to Barcelona in their last three league games.

The disappointing run of form has seen the Yellow Submarine drop into eighth position in the table, now seven points behind fourth-placed Atletico Madrid, while as mentioned, they are just three points ahead of their opponent in this weekend's contest.

Villarreal have been seventh or higher in eight of their last nine La Liga campaigns, and they will still believe that a top-six spot is achievable this term considering their quality.

The Yellow Submarine suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mallorca in the reverse match earlier this season, though, while their last away success over the Pirates was back in May 2009.

Mallorca La Liga form:

W

L

W

L

W

L

Mallorca form (all competitions):

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L

W

L

W

L

Villarreal La Liga form:

W

D

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L

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L

Villarreal form (all competitions):

D

L

W

L

L

L

Team News

Mallorca's squad is in excellent shape at the moment, with Aguirre expected to have a full complement to choose from this weekend, barring any late setbacks.

The hosts will also be boosted by the return of Jaume Costa, who missed the defeat to Sevilla through suspension, and he is expected to come back into the starting side.

It might otherwise be the same XI that took to the field for the first whistle at Estadio Ramon, though, with Aguirre unlikely to shuffle his pack despite the disappointing result.

As for Villarreal, Gerard Moreno, Nicolas Jackson, Alfonso Pedraza and Giovani Lo Celso remain on the sidelines through injury.

Francis Coquelin, meanwhile, picked up a serious knee injury against Barcelona last time out, with the experienced midfielder now out for the season.

Samuel Chukwueze could come into the side as Coquelin's replacement, but the absence of Gerard Moreno should see Yeremy Pino and Jose Luis Morales continue in the final third of the field.

Mallorca possible starting lineup:

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

Villarreal possible starting lineup:

Reina; Foyth, Albiol, P Torres, A Moreno; Chukwueze, Capoue, Parejo, Baena; Pino, Morales

We say: Mallorca 2-1 Villarreal

Mallorca have won each of their last four home league matches, overcoming both Atletico and Real Madrid in the process, and we are backing another success for Aguirre's side here. Villarreal are a team seriously out of form, and it could be another disappointing evening for Setien's side.

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