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

Villarreal will be looking to make it successive victories in La Liga when they welcome relegation-threatened Mallorca to the Estadio de la Ceramica on Tuesday night.

The Yellow Submarine recorded a 1-0 win over Celta Vigo on their return to action on Saturday, but Mallorca suffered a 4-0 defeat to the champions Barcelona on home soil.

Match preview

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Villarreal actually suffered three successive defeats in their three La Liga matches before the lockdown period, losing to Atletico Madrid, Athletic Bilbao and Leganes during a disappointing run of form.

The Yellow Submarine returned to winning ways on Saturday, however, as a late goal from Manu Trigueros saw them overcome struggling Celta in Vigo.

The result kept Javier Calleja 's side in eighth position in the table, but they are now just two points off seventh-placed Valencia and just four points behind Atletico Madrid in sixth; Diego Simeone 's side will have a chance to move clear once again when they face Athletic Bilbao on Sunday afternoon, though.

Villarreal did not finish outside of the top six in La Liga between 2013 and 2018 but ended last season in 14th, and it remains to be seen whether they can claim a European finish in the final weeks of the campaign.

El Submarino Amarillo have lost their last two league games against Mallorca, but they recorded a 2-0 victory when the two teams last locked horns at the home of Villarreal in September 2011.

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Mallorca made an unhappy return to action on Saturday evening as they suffered a 4-0 home defeat to Barca, who proved to be far too strong throughout the 90 minutes.

The strugglers fell a goal behind inside the first two minutes and were not able to recover, ultimately conceding three more as they stayed inside the relegation zone with just 25 points from their 28 matches.

Vicente Moreno 's side are only a point off 17th-placed Celta Vigo, though, and had only lost one of their last four in the league ahead of Saturday's clash with Barca.

Mallorca secured a return to Spain's top flight by advancing through the Segunda Division playoffs last season, but Los Bermellones are facing a battle to secure their position at this level next term.

Villarreal La Liga form: DWLLLW

Mallorca La Liga form: LWDLWL

Team News

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Villarreal will again be without the services of Bruno Soriano and Ramiro Funes Mori through injury, but the Yellow Submarine did not pick up any fresh fitness concerns against Celta.

Trigeruros's goal at the weekend could see the midfielder return to the XI, while Samuel Chukwueze is also in line to start, potentially at the expense of Moi Gomez in the final third.

There are unlikely to be many changes from their clash with Celta, though, meaning that Santi Cazorla and Vicente Iborra should keep their spots in the middle of the park.

As for Mallorca, Lumor Agbenyenu and Leonardo Koutris are still on the sidelines, but Moreno's side did not pick up any new issues in the four-goal defeat to Barca.

Fran Gamez and Abdon Prats are options for change in the final third, although the bulk of the XI that started against the champions is expected to take to the field once again.

Ante Budimir has scored nine La Liga goals this season and will lead the line.

Villarreal possible starting lineup:

Asenjo; Gaspar, Albiol, Torres, Moreno; Trigueros, Iborra, Cazorla; Moreno, Alcacer, Chukwueze

Mallorca possible starting lineup:

Reina; Sastre, Raillo, Valjent, Pozo; Rodriguez, Sevilla, Pedraza, Kubo; Budimir, Hernandez

We say: Villarreal 2-0 Mallorca

Villarreal's 1-0 win over Celta would have given the team a lot of confidence, and they will be determined to put another three points on the board to boost their European hopes. Mallorca won their last away match against Eibar, but we expect the Yellow Submarine to triumph on Tuesday night.