La Liga | Gameweek 23

Feb 10, 2025 at 8pm UK

Estadio Iberoamericano 2010

Mallorca vs Osasuna

Match preview

Not so long ago, Mallorca were sixth in the table and looking like a strong contender for European football next season, but Jagoba Arrasate's side have had a less than stellar start to the year.

The Pirates were beaten by Pontevedra in the Copa del Rey at the start of January, before suffering a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Spanish Super Cup.

Mallorca have also lost their last three league games against Villarreal, Real Betis and Atletico Madrid, failing to find the back of the net and dropping to ninth in the table.

Arrasate's side are now five points adrift of sixth-placed Rayo Vallecano, but they are also just two points clear of 12th-placed Sevilla, so their situation could worsen if their poor form continues.

Mallorca have struggled at home this season, taking just 15 points from 11 games, while Osasuna have struggled on the road, taking just eight points from 10 games away from home.

Osasuna, on the other hand, will be coming off a 2-0 defeat to Real Sociedad in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey, but they are unbeaten in their last three league games, picking up five points in the process.

Indeed, Vicente Moreno's side shared points with Rayo Vallecano and Las Palmas before beating Real Sociedad 2-1 to move into eighth place on 30 points.

Sitting just five points behind sixth-placed Rayo Vallecano, Osasuna are still in contention for a European spot, but will need to improve their away form if they are to have any chance of doing so this term.

Los Rojillos beat Mallorca 1-0 in the reverse fixture earlier this season, but Mallorca won 3-2 when the two sides met at the Estadi Mallorca Son Moix in 2023-24.

Nine of the last 14 La Liga encounters between the two sides have ended in a draw, however, and the league table suggests that there is little difference in quality between the two sides.

Recent Performance

Mallorca La Liga form:LWWLLL

Mallorca form (all competitions):WLLLLL

Osasuna La Liga form:DLLDDW

Osasuna form (all competitions):LWDDWL

Team News

Mallorca welcome back Omar Mascarell to their squad for this game, the midfielder having returned from suspension after missing the 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid last time out.

Antonio Sanchez will miss out again with a hamstring problem, while Toni Lato, Pablo Maffeo and Manu Morlanes are all doubts.

Cyle Larin and Vedat Muriqi started the game against Atletico and are likely to do so again, with Dani Rodriguez likely to be dropped to make way for Mascarell.

As for Osasuna, Bryan Zaragoza has returned from a foot injury and the Bayern Munich loanee has come off the bench in the last two games, but he may not be in contention for a starting berth.

Lucas Torro is expected to return to the side after the Copa del Rey clash with Real Sociedad, but Ante Budimir, who has 12 La Liga goals to his name this term, will once again have a place in the middle of the park.

Zaragoza's return means that Osasuna have a full-strength squad at the moment, which presents head coach Moreno with a dilemma given the number of players he has to choose from.

Possible starting lineup

Mallorca possible starting lineup:

Greif; Morey, Valjent, Raillo, Copete, Mojica; Mascarell, Costa, Darder; Larin, Muriqi

Osasuna possible starting lineup:

Herrera; Areso, Boyomo, Catena, Cruz; Moncayola, Torro, Oroz; Ruben Garcia, Budimir, Kike Barja