Sports Mole previews Sunday’s La Liga clash between Cadiz and Mallorca, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Nuevo Mirandilla will play host to a huge La Liga clash on Sunday afternoon, with two clubs battling to stay in Spain’s top flight, Cadiz and Mallorca, locking horns.
Cadiz are currently 18th in the table, six points behind 17th-placed Celta Vigo, while Mallorca occupy 16th position, also six points above the relegation zone.
Match preview
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Two teams could be relegated from La Liga this weekend, with basement side Almeria certain to drop down to the Segunda Division if they fail to overcome Getafe. However, a win would not be enough if Celta avoid defeat against Alaves and then Mallorca overcome Cadiz in this contest.
Meanwhile, Granada, who sit 19th, will be relegated if they lose to Osasuna and both Celta and Mallorca win, so there is plenty on the line, and there is simply no downplaying the importance of this match, with Cadiz in desperate need of all three points to boost their survival hopes.
Mauricio Pellegrino‘s side are 18th, six points behind both 17th-placed Celta and 16th-placed Mallorca, and they will enter this match off the back of successive losses to Barcelona and Girona.
The Yellow Submarine have managed to win two of their last three league matches at home, though, including a standout 2-0 success over Atletico Madrid on March 9, and three of their next five games are on home soil.
Cadiz are in their fourth straight season at this level, which is their best run since the early 1990s, but they are currently in a difficult spot in the table heading into the final straight.
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Mallorca finished ninth in Spain’s top flight last season, but there has been a drop-off in their performance level this season, with the team currently sitting down in 16th position.
The Pirates, who lost on penalties to Athletic Bilbao in the final of the Copa del Rey earlier this month, are in their third straight season at this level, last playing in the Segunda Division in 2020-21.
Javier Aguirre‘s side have not been victorious in La Liga since the middle of March, picking up just one point from their last three matches, and they have lost to Real Madrid and Sevilla in their last two.
Mallorca have the fourth-worst away record in Spain’s top flight this season, winning just one of their 16 matches on the road, and they suffered a 2-0 loss to Cadiz in the corresponding fixture last term.
Aguirre’s team have won two of their last four meetings with Cadiz at this level of football, although the points were shared in a 1-1 draw when they locked horns in the reverse fixture earlier this season.
Cadiz La Liga form:
Mallorca La Liga form:
Mallorca form (all competitions):
Team News
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Cadiz will be missing five players through injury on Sunday, with Fede San Emeterio, Jorge Mere, Jose Mari, Rominigue Kouame and Luis Hernandez unavailable for selection.
However, the squad will be boosted by the return of Javi Hernandez, who missed out against Girona last time out due to a suspension, and he should be back in the side at left-back.
Head coach Pellegrino could make three changes to the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Girona, with Gonzalo Escalante and Chris Ramos also potentially being introduced for Alex Fernandez and Maxi Gomez.
As for Mallorca, Copete is unavailable due to a suspension, having picked up a milestone booking in the clash with Sevilla last time out.
Matija Nastasic is expected to be the player to benefit from Copete’s absence, while Cyle Larin is also pushing to return in the final third of the field alongside Vedat Muriqi.
The potential change of formation could also open the door for Antonio Sanchez to come into the XI, with head coach Aguirre likely to shuffle his pack following the clash at Estadio Ramon.
Cadiz possible starting lineup:
Ledesma; Carcelen, Chust, Ousou, J Hernandez; Alejo, Escalante, Alcaraz, Navarro; Ramos, Juanmi
Mallorca possible starting lineup:
Rajkovic; Maffeo, Valjent, Raillo, Nastasic, J Costa; S Costa, Mascarell, A Sanchez; Larin, Muriqi
We say: Cadiz 1-1 Mallorca
Cadiz have only actually lost five of their 16 home league matches this season, while Mallorca have just one away success to their name. It is therefore hard to back an away victory, but we are not convinced about a home win either, so a low-scoring draw could be on the cards this weekend.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.