Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 5/8
Bookmaker: BetUS
Barcelona will look to bounce back in La Liga when they travel to Mallorca on Tuesday evening.
Hansi Flick’s team remains atop the league standings but comes into the match on the heels of a 2-1 loss to Las Palmas on Saturday. Meanwhile, Mallorca will approach the contest with confidence after securing a 2-1 home victory over Valencia in their previous outing.
Mallorca
Mallorca’s sixth-place position in La Liga is impressive given their modest tally of 15 goals from 15 matches, with their success largely built on a rock-solid defense. Jagoba Arrasate’s side has conceded only 13 goals, the joint third-best record in the league, and enters this clash on the back of consecutive victories over Las Palmas and Valencia.
Against Valencia on Friday, Mallorca overcame a first-half penalty by Luis Rioja to equalize through Cyle Larin just before the break, with Abdon Prats scoring the late winner.
Now only two points off fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao, Mallorca has a realistic shot at European qualification but will need to improve their scoring rate to maintain their push.
The Pirates have not defeated Barcelona since May 2009, though they held the Catalans to a draw in last season’s corresponding fixture. With Barcelona struggling for league form, Mallorca will aim to capitalize on their visitors’ vulnerabilities.
Team News
Mallorca will remain without Toni Lato, Ivan Cuellar, Takuma Asano, and Copete for Tuesday’s encounter, but Vedat Muriqi is back in contention after missing the previous clash against Barcelona due to suspension.
Muriqi’s return is expected to see Dani Rodriguez drop out, with Sergi Darder and Robert Navarro likely occupying the wide midfield roles.
Cyle Larin will retain his spot in the attack, while the midfield duo of Manu Morlanes and Samu Costa is also set to remain unchanged. Beyond Muriqi’s inclusion, no further adjustments are anticipated for the Pirates.
Barcelona
Barcelona are experiencing a rough patch in La Liga, having earned just one point from their last three matches, including a surprising 2-1 home defeat to Las Palmas.
Despite this, the Catalans remain at the top of the table with 34 points from 15 games (11 wins, one draw, and three losses). However, their lead is slim, sitting just one point ahead of Real Madrid, who have a game in hand after beating Getafe 2-0 on Sunday to regain momentum in the title race.
Hansi Flick’s team will be eager to bounce back on Tuesday before facing Real Betis next weekend. While Barcelona are La Liga’s top scorers with 43 goals, defensive issues have surfaced, conceding 16 goals overall, with four in their last two games.
In contrast to their league struggles, Barcelona have been strong in the Champions League, winning four of their five group-stage games to collect 12 points, placing them third overall behind Liverpool and Inter Milan.
Team News
Barcelona remain without Ansu Fati, Marc Bernal, Andreas Christensen, Ronald Araujo, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen for the clash with Mallorca. However, Marc Casado is available again after serving his suspension against Las Palmas.
Alejandro Balde, who sustained a neck injury during a collision with Sandro Ramirez in the Las Palmas match, is reportedly fit but may be rested as a precaution.
Lamine Yamal is expected to return to the starting XI after making a substitute appearance on Saturday, while Dani Olmo is also likely to feature from the outset, having been an unused substitute in the previous match.
Conclusion
It won’t be an easy game for the out-of-form Catalans, but Hansi Flick’s men need to respond to the latest bout of poor results if they do not wish to see arch-rivals Real Madrid gain a significant advantage in the La Liga title race. They certainly have the quality to do so, and this challenge will likely be the moment when they rise again.
Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 5/8
Bookmaker: BetUS
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