23rd October 2010
Valencia slipped from the top of the standings as they were defeated at Camp Nou, but the win in this match would help los Che remain just one point adrift of the top. Mallorca, on the other hand, succumbed to a home defeat to Espanyol that saw them continue the poor run of results and the visitors clearly don’t have much to hope for from this clash.
Nobody at Valencia is now talking about the departure of David Silva and David Villa and the reason for that is that Unai Emery’s side have done extremely well without them. The new players have quickly integrated into the coach’s system and the boss again has a very good squad at his disposal. The team did pretty well in the Champions League, picking up 4 points from first 3 games, although they won’t be too satisfied with the record after completely outplaying Manchester United and getting nothing from the game. Their La Liga campaign has also been impressive, with los Che slipping from the top only after last weekend’s defeat to Barcelona, in which they squandered a one-goal lead to allow Barca to skip them in the standings. Nonetheless, the players won’t be too downhearted after the defeat as the team are playing extremely well at the moment, with the improved build-up play a nice addition to their lethal counterattacks. Having rested some starters in the Champions League clash against Rangers, Unai Emery is set to field some fresh players like Soldado, Maduro and Fernandes.
Mallorca seem to be going through the second season syndrome as rarely do small clubs manage to exceed expectations for two seasons in a row. Last season was extremely successful for the team as they finished La Liga campaign in 6th place but the poor financial situation saw them get expelled from Europa League before playing a single game. The club management surprisingly opted against extending Gregorio Manzano’s contract, getting rid of the man who was behind team’s big success and things started taking the wrong turn from that moment. With Michael Laudrup yet to make this team his own, Mallorca continue to struggle, as witnessed by the home defeat to Espanyol, in which they had an extra man on the pitch for almost an hour. All things considered, the visitors should be happy if they avoid a heavy defeat at Mestalla.
Conclusion
This Valencia side have really matured with their consistent form seeing them easily beat the smaller sides and match the big guns like Manchester United or Barca, so it is no wonder the players are full of confidence and eager to hammer Mallorca. I just don’t see how the visitors can cope with high-flying los Che, so home win is on the cards.
Verdict: Home win Valencia (1)
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