Explore My Football Facts’ detailed preview for Mallorca vs Villarreal in La Liga. Stats, odds, predictions and line-ups for the 1pm BST match.
Mallorca come in with three wins in their last five league games, but the 1-2 loss to Deportivo Alavés shows they can still be exposed when the game becomes more open. Villarreal have been the most consistent team in the same streak, scoring five goals against Levante and reinforcing that with another home win against Celta de Vigo. The balance of matches also favors Villarreal, with three wins and a draw in the last five matches. That said, Mallorca’s results at home against Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano suggest they can make it uncomfortable if they get off to a good start.
Villarreal’s 4-4-2 has been producing enough goals to maintain control of games, and Georges Mikautadze has been part of this latest offensive outing. Mallorca’s 4-3-1-2 should give them a compact central base, with Justin Kalumba providing a direct outlet alongside Vedat Muriqi. The key question is whether Mallorca can keep Villarreal’s midfielders calm while still creating enough at the other end. Match prediction: Mallorca 1-2 Villarreal
Forms guide and team overview
Majorca
Mallorca’s recent form in La Liga is pretty good overall, with three wins in their last five. They beat Girona 1-0 at home, drew 1-1 with Valencia at home and recorded home wins over Rayo Vallecano and Real Madrid, which is a good run at any level.
The only setback in this sequence was the 1-2 defeat against Deportivo Alavés away from home. This suggests that Mallorca have been competitive, but they still have to take it if they want to turn their good spells into a more reliable return of points.
Majorca Last 5 results
Villarreal
Villarreal arrive in better scoring form, having won four of their last five league games. The standout result is the 5-1 home win against Levante, while 2-1 wins against Celta de Vigo and Athletic Club show that they have also been finding ways to get ahead in games.
The only defeat in that run was a 0-1 defeat at home to Girona, with a draw at Real Oviedo the other without a win. In general, the recent numbers point to a side that is difficult to contain and is usually able to get into the game.
Vila-real Last 5 results
Team news and injury report
Majorca
- Jan Salas (partial cruciate ligament damage)
Villarreal
- Juan Foyth (ruptured Achilles tendon)
Alignments and tactical configuration
Mallorca (4-3-1-2)
Expected lineup: Leo Román (Goalkeeper), Johan Mojica (Defender), Martin Valjent (Defender), Omar Mascarell (Defender), Pablo Maffeo (Defender), Manu Morlanes (Midfielder), Pablo Torre (Midfielder), Samú Costa (Midfielder), Sergi Darder (Midfielder), Justin Kalumba (Forward), Vedat Muraiqi (Forward).
Mallorca’s planned 4-3-1-2 should keep them compact in the middle and give them a solid base to compete for second balls. Justin Kalumba and Vedat Muriqi can work as a direct forward pair, with support coming from the central midfield line.
Villarreal (4-4-2)
Expected lineup: Arnau Tenas (Goalkeeper), Alex Freeman (Defender), Alfonso Pedraza (Defender), Pau Navarro (Defender), Renato Veiga (Defender), Alberto Moleiro (Midfielder), Dani Parejo (Midfielder), Nicolas Pépé (Midfielder), Santi Comesaña (Midfielder), Georges Mikautadze (Midfielder), Gerard Mikautadze (Midfielder)
Villarreal’s projected 4-4-2 gives them a balanced shape with width from midfield and two strikers to stay tall. This should help them stretch Mallorca’s backline while keeping enough bodies in central areas to control possession.
