Getafe outclass Champions League hopefuls Mallorca

Champions League hopefuls Real Mallorca crashed to a 3-0 defeat at Getafe on Saturday.

Spain Under-21 international striker Daniel Parejo headed Getafe in front before two goals in the final ten minutes put the game to bed.

Getafe had gone close through Pedro Leon on the half hour mark and Mallorca didn’t heed the warning conceding two minutes later as Jaime Gavilan’s cross was headed in by former Real Madrid man Parejo.

The 20-year-old Parejo produced a perfectly-weighted pass for Getafe’s second 10 minutes from time as substitute Miku, only on the pitch two minutes, slotted home.

It got worse for Mallorca five minutes later when Jose Nunes was sent off for a handball on the goal-line and Manu del Moral converted the penalty to complete the scoring.

Mallorca stay fifth, now level on points with Sevilla, while Getafe are five points off the top six.

“Our ambitions are still intact,” insisted Mallorca coach Gregorio Manzano. “It was a chance to pick up more points but it wasn’t to be and we have to turn the page against Atletico Madrid next Sunday.”

Athletic Bilbao spurned the chance to go level on points with Mallorca and Sevilla, two points ahead, after drawing 0-0 at Sporting Gijon.

Bilbao midfielder Igor Gabilando missed a penalty on 58 minutes with goalkeeper Juan Pablo Ferreras getting down well to save.

Sevilla, beaten 3-2 by Real Madrid last time out, host Deportivo La Coruna and can pull away from the teams behind them and close in on third-placed Valencia with a home victory.

Sevilla can’t afford many more slip-ups in the league if they want to finish in the top four and have another huge game on Tuesday when they host Russian CSKA Moscow in the second leg of their last 16 Champions League tie.

“For us one competition is not more important than the other and we have 24 hours to prepare for two finals,” said Sevilla coach Manolo Jimenez.

League leaders Real Madrid, above Barcelona on goal difference, are in action on Sunday as they bid to bounce back following their Champions League exit to Lyon on Wednesday that has put coach Manuel Pellegrini under extreme pressure.

The league represents Real’s only hope of silverware this season and they travel to third from bottom Valladolid expecting the three points.

Champions Barcelona have surrendered a five-point gap over Real and can’t afford to slip up in Sunday’s home match against third-placed Valencia.

Barcelona are then in Champions League action on Wednesday at home to VFB Stuttgart after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.