Elche vs Mallorca Preview: Team News & Prediction
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This is an absolutely enormous game in La Liga's relegation battle as Elche welcome Real Mallorca to Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero in what is very much a six-pointer.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN have the exclusive rights to La Liga games in the USA, so any game may be televised on one of their affiliated channels
How to watch online: UK – Premier Player / US – ESPN+
Elche preview: Entertaining but collapsing
Elche, under the management of Eder Sarabia, head into this one on the back of a woeful run of form that has undermined their fine start to the season, sitting tucked in the top-half for much of it after winning the second division last season.
The home team come into this one on the back of a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Real Madrid at the Bernabeu last week, extending their winless run of form to 12 matches in both La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
Mallorca preview: Majorcan improvement
Real Mallorca have themselves underperformed but with the replacing of Jago Arrasate with former Manchester City centre-back Martin Demichelis, hope has been breathed into the Balearic Islanders.
The Majorcans, for a second time this season, threw away a two-goal lead against Osasuna, forced to settle for a respectable point, in his opening game. They then defeated Espanyol by two goals to one last weekend.
Elche team news: Hector Fort still out
Former Barcelona full-back Hector Fort was excellent before the winter break but, injured while celebrating a goal, the youngster remains out injured for Elche this weekend.
Predicted XI (3-4-1-2): Matias Dituro; Victor Chust, Affengruber, Petrot; Diangana, Aleix Febas, Federico Redondo, German Valera; Neto; Silva, Rafa Mir
Unavailable: Hector Fort (Injured)
Questionable: Sangare (Concussion), John (Injured)
Mallorca team news: Couple of suspensions
Mallorca have a couple of suspensions for this weekend as both Johan Mojica and Jan Virgili are unavailable, while Abdon and Lucas Bergstrom are fresh injury doubts, too.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Leo Roman; Pablo Maffeo, Valjent, Antonio Raillo, Toni Lato; Omar Mascarell, Costa; Mateo Joseph, Pablo Torre, Manu Morlanes; Muriqi
Unavailable: Johan Mojica (Suspended), Jan Salas (Injured), Jan Virgili (Suspended), Asano (Injured)
Questionable: Bergstrom (Injured), Kumbulla (Injured), Javi Llabres (Injured), Abdon (Injured)
Elche vs Mallorca prediction
Mallorca are a team and a squad of players that should never have been close to danger and they are beginning to show signs of pushing away. Elche, on the other hand, are only getting worse in terms of their performance level and siding with the Majorcans may well be a good bet for this one in the Community of Valencia.
Elche vs Mallorca tip: Double chance - Mallorca to win or draw
