MADRID, 6 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Mallorca receives Real Valladolid this Saturday (6:30 p.m.) in the first match of 2023 at the Power Horse Stadium, with the aim of recovering their smile after their last ‘hit’ in LaLiga Santander, against some ‘blanquivioletas’ who are fighting to get away relegation, while Espanyol want to confirm their improvement in an important duel (21.00) with a Girona for whom a defeat could make it difficult.
Javier Aguirre’s team closed 2022 with a painful defeat (2-0) against Getafe, hardly doing any damage to the ‘azulones’ and diminished by a very poor offensive capacity. The premiere in 2023 in the Cup with a win (0-2) against Pontevedra allowed them to take a breather, although it could take its toll on the physical field.
The vermilion team suffered more than expected and needed extra time to seal their ticket to the round of 16 of the tournament. In extra time, Vedat Muriqi and Abdón Prats broke the game for Aguirre’s men, who will have the handicap of 120 minutes of play. However, the Mexican would have little doubt to develop his ‘eleven’ with the return after suspension of Ruiz de Galarreta. Nastasic could come in behind, with Kang In Lee and Dani Rodríguez accompanying the Kosovar striker.
Mallorca, with the victory (1-0) against Atleti as the last league memory at home -in a final to frame before the break (three wins and a draw)- receives Valladolid installed in the quiet area of the table. While the Pucelano team is fifteenth with 17 points, five above the red zone.
Pacheta’s men have two consecutive defeats after, after losing (0-2) to Real Madrid in their last match of 2022, also saying goodbye to the Copa del Rey, losing in the round of 32 against Alavés. Its image continues to be positive, that of a supportive and committed team, which does not run away from the ball and with the ability to hit its rivals with danger.
If this model did bear fruit before the break -three wins in five games-, now it is not being reflected on the scoreboards, now without the illusion of the Cup. Valladolid have won their last six duels against the Balearic team, the one that could surpass in the table with a new victory.
However, their biggest ballast is being their poor balance away from José Zorrilla, with only 4 of 21 possible points, after celebrating a solitary victory -in October, against Getafe-. Leaving Mallorca empty-handed could compromise his situation and get closer to the danger zone. Pacheta does not have Escudero and Anuar due to injury and Javi Sánchez and Sergio León due to suspension. However, he will be able to count on Feddal and Olaza, in defense, and Gonzalo Plata and Weissman, in attack.
ESPANYOL ARRIVES WITH MORAL THROUGH THE CLOUDS
Espanyol and Girona will close this Saturday’s games with a duel in which the ‘parrots’ will examine their good moment and high morale, after scratching a draw (1-1) at the Camp Nou. In a Catalan derby that began with the controversy that surrounded Robert Lewandowski and his precautionary, Diego Martínez’s men were patient and did not fall apart with the first Barça goal, to return from the Blaugrana fiefdom with a prize, with a penalty that Joselu converted.
His improvement was confirmed in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey, when a few days later he threw Celta out of the tournament, with an extension in between. Darder and Melamed unbalanced the balance and gave the victory (3-1) to the Catalans, now installed in enthusiasm. Vinicius Souza, due to suspension, and Pedrosa, Keidi Baré, Gori Gracia and Pol Lozano, due to injury, will be absent. In the ‘eleven’, Darder is a doubt while the substitutes in the KO tournament Álvaro, Óscar Gil, Calero, Melamed and Joselu could return to ownership.
Espanyol faces another sixteenth regional derby, bordering on relegation, with four points less than a Girona (17 points) that links five games without losing in LaLiga Santander (2 wins and three draws). However, the return to the break is costing Michel’s team, who regretted his goodbye cupbearer against the modest Cacereño in the second round.
A blow from which they could not fully compensate in their last league game, when they drew (2-2) against Rayo Vallecano, a direct rival for the goal of permanence. Defensive errors become a handicap for Girona, now helped in their offensive capacity to get their results, for now.
As a visitor, they have not lost since October 2022 and they have won the last two head-to-heads against Espanyol (1-0 and 1-2). “History does not win games but we will try to maintain the winning streak that the team has chained there,” said the coach in the previous one. With five points on the descent, a victory would allow them to gain oxygen and reach the desirable 20 units before the end of the first round.
–SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY OF LALIGA SANTANDER DAY 16
Villarreal-Real Madrid. Soto Grado (C. Riojano) 16.15.
Majorca-Valladolid. Pizarro Gómez (C.Madrileño) 18.30.
Spanish-Girona From Cerro Grande (C.Madrileño) 21.00.