MADRID, 23 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Jagoba Arrasate will experience a special match this Saturday when he visits El Sadar as coach of RCD Mallorca, while Getafe and Rayo Vallecano will experience a Madrid derby and Real Sociedad will visit newly promoted RCD Espanyol, in matches corresponding to the second day of LaLiga EA Sports 2024-2025.
At El Sadar (17.00), CA Osasuna and RCD Mallorca will face each other, a match between two teams that started their league campaign with draws, but with different flavours, and marked by the return of Jagoba Arrasate to Pamplona where he left his mark.
The Guipuzcoan coach spent six seasons with the ‘rojillo’ team, returning it to the First Division, where he was able to consolidate it and save it without excessive difficulties, also taking it to the second Copa del Rey final in its history and leading it to the ‘playoff’ for access to the Conference League.
A performance and a way of working that caught on with the club and with a fan base that will now be his rival in his new project at the head of a Mallorca that left a very good impression in its debut against the current champion, Real Madrid, against whom it drew (1-1) at home, although it had good chances of the scare being bigger. Barring a surprise, the coach of the vermilion team, with the absence of Mateu Morey, will bet on the same eleven as against Carlo Ancelotti’s team.
Facing them was an Osasuna side that also started LaLiga EA Sports with a draw in its first match, although it didn’t go down so well for them as, in addition to being at El Sadar, they were up against a direct rival and a newly promoted side like Leganés in the official debut of Vicente Moreno who, like Arrasate, has a special match ahead of him due to his past as a Mallorcan coach.
Now, in his second consecutive clash in front of his fans, he will try to put sentimentality aside against a coach who knows him well and to get three points at home, something that has eluded him since the beginning of March when he defeated Deportivo Alavés (1-0). The duel between the ‘9’ of both teams, Ante Budimir and Vedat Muriqi, will be key.
MADRID DERBY
At the Coliseum (21.30), there will be a Madrid derby between Getafe and Rayo Vallecano, two teams that started their domestic season well in the Basque Country, with a valuable draw for the ‘azulones’ in San Mamés (1-1) and a great victory for the ‘franjirrojo’ at the Reale Arena (1-2).
The Getafe team was able to maximize its few current resources, especially on an offensive level, but showed the best competitive character that its coach José Bordalás has instilled in it to come out on top against a candidate for the top part like Athletic Club.
Now, not with many more weapons, with the arrival of Juan Berrocal, but with the absences, barring a surprise, of Mauro Arambarri, injured in Bilbao, and Borja Mayoral, Getafe will try to show their strength at home with practically the same eleven as in the debut except for the presumed entry of Carles Aleñà for the Uruguayan and with Chrisantus Uche again as an improvised ‘9’.
For their part, Rayo Vallecano, after a pre-season in which they seemed to have left many doubts, began LaLiga EA Sports with three valuable points away from home against a tough rival like Real Sociedad, which has strengthened the franjirrojos for their second consecutive away match.
On Sunday, Íñigo Pérez managed to break his team’s bad run away from home, having finished the last league campaign with just two points from the last 18 away from Vallecas and also without scoring a single goal since, precisely, winning 0-2 against Getafe, still with Francisco on the bench, although then with his rival ‘exiled’ at the Cívitas Metropolitano. Andrei Ratiu and Álvaro García are expected to be absent from a starting eleven where Olympic gold medalist Sergio Camello could be the starting ‘9’.
ESPANYOL AND REAL SOCIEDAD, GOING FOR THEIR FIRST VICTORY
Finally, at the RCDE Stadium (21.30), the newly promoted RCD Espanyol and Real Sociedad will meet, two teams that started their league season badly after losing to Real Valladolid (1-0) and Rayo Vallecano (1-2).
The ‘perico’ team did not have a good start in its return to the First Division after a ‘year in hell’ and did not leave its best image against another promoted team, so it must improve in its first match before its fans where it must be stronger to avoid problems in the classification.
Manolo González, the Espanyol coach, could adjust his starting eleven to find that extra something in his players to get the first three points that do not involve urgent matters. Irvin Cardona, Alex Kral or Fernando Calero could be some of the new additions.
For its part, Real Sociedad suffered a heavy setback at home against Rayo Vallecano, which it now hopes to make up for away from home, a facet in which EA Sports performed quite well last season in LaLiga. In fact, it was the fifth best away team in the championship with 30 points and only five defeats.
The ‘txuri-urdin’ coach Imanol Alguacil will not be able to count on defender Igor Zubeldia, currently due to lumbago, nor on midfielder Ander Barrenetxea or on Mikel Merino, who is a done deal pending official confirmation from Arsenal. Martín Zubimendi is set to start and Sergi Gómez could also be included in the eleven in Barcelona.
–SATURDAY TIMES FOR MATCHDAY 2 OF LALIGA EA SPORTS.
Osasuna – Mallorca. Cordero Vega (C.Cántabro) 17.00.
FC Barcelona – Athletic Club. Gil Manzano (C.Extremeño) 19.00.
Getafe – Rayo Vallecano. Alberola Rojas (C.Cast-manchego) 21.30.
Espanyol – Real Sociedad. Melero Lopez (C.Andaluz) 21.30.