MADRID, 18 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
RCD Mallorca and Deportivo Alavés open this Tuesday (7:00 p.m.) on matchday 33 of LaLiga Santander, in a duel that will be a ‘final’ for salvation for both teams, while Real Betis does not want to give up the ‘Champions’ positions against an animated and virtually saved Elche, while a Valencia in the quiet part of the table will try to stop a rising Villarreal.
The vermilion club left very bad feelings in their last league match against Elche, with a very poor image against a direct rival due to the goal of permanence in their second defeat (3-0) with Javier Aguirre on the bench. Even so, they remain out of relegation, with 29 points, only one above Cádiz, third from last in the standings.
It is time for the Balearic team to show that they want to maintain the category, taking into account that Tuesday’s game could mark their future in the First Division. Mallorca will have to visit Sánchez-Pizjuán, Camp Nou and El Sadar in this final stretch, while they will host Granada and Rayo Vallecano.
Greif, Sedlar and Ruiz de Galarreta are certain casualties, while Jaume Costa, substituted due to physical problems against the Elche, is doubtful against the Basques. For its part, the babazorro team presents the confirmed absence of Pere Pons, with last minute doubts from Luis Rioja, Edgar Méndez and Javi López.
The albiazul club is bottom, four points below Mallorca, and has added three points from the last six possible, since Julio Velázquez took charge of the team. Thus, the team did not miss the last match against Rayo, winning (1-0) and ending a series of seven days without winning. Although, no matter what happens this Tuesday, Alavés will continue to decline.
In addition, it will be a good opportunity to close his dynamic of 12 starts without a win, since his last win away from Mendizorroza dates back to October of last year. However, Alavés have never beaten Mallorca at the Visit Mallorca Estadi in Primera, adding two draws and five defeats in their seven visits.
BETIS AND VALENCIA FACE THEIR LAST STEPS BEFORE THE CUP FINAL
Also this Tuesday, Betis hosts Elche as the last step before next Saturday’s Copa del Rey final. A match that is much more than a mere formality, since, fifth with 57 points, just three behind Atlético, fourth classified, a victory would increase their chances of continuing in the fight for a Champions League spot.
Pellegrini could plan rotations for this important duel against Valencia with a title at stake and in the run-up to the match against Elche, he has only had the absences of Camarasa and Montoya. The Verdiblancos have five undefeated matches in the League -the last one a valuable draw against Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena-, winning the last two at home, making Villamarín their great ally.
For its part, Elche, virtually saved and bordering on permanence with 35 points in thirteenth position, arrives at the game buoyed by their resounding victory against Mallorca (3-0), ending the streak of three consecutive defeats in the League. The people from Elche know that scoring points in a field as complicated as that of the Verdiblancos can be key to facing the most important section of the course with more oxygen.
Lucas Boyé and John Nwankwo will be certain casualties due to injury, while Francisco will be without Omar Mascarell due to an accumulation of cards. With Guido Carrillo in doubt, Ezequiel Ponce has all the ballots to be the offensive reference.
Finally, Valencia, also thinking about the final at La Cartuja on Saturday, will have to compete against Villarreal, launched after eliminating Bayern and beating Getafe away (1-2) on the last day. The ‘che’ team is facing the opportunity to win its ninth Copa del Rey, after doing it for the last time in 2019.
For all these reasons, Bordalás will try not to risk and minimize possible risks that appear in the form of injuries. Without clear short-term goals, Valencia have only added one victory in their last five games, so a European place has become a utopia. Now they are tenth with 42 points, 15 behind in the Europa League and they have linked four games without losing as visitors.
Much more is at stake for Villarreal. The ‘Submarino’, seventh with 49 points, still has serious options to fight for Europa League positions, aware that they will have to play against Sevilla, Real Sociedad and Barcelona before the end of the championship. The team from Castellón will not be able to count on Gerard Moreno for the derby, although everything seems to indicate that Emery will keep his spine to try to take a bite out of the six-point distance that separates him from Alguacil’s men.
–PROGRAM MEETING DAY 33 OF LALIGA SANTANDER.
-Martes 19.
Majorca – Alaves. Soto Grado (C.Riojano) 19.00.
Betis – Elche. Alberola Rojas (C.Castellano-Manchego) 21.00.
Villarreal – Valencia. Munuera Montero (C.Andaluz) 21.30.
-Wednesday 20.
Atletico Madrid – Granada. Gil Manzano (C.Extremeño) 19.00.
Celtic – Getafe. Jaime Latre (C.Aragonese) 20.00.
Health – Real Madrid. De Burgos Bengoetxea (C.Vasco) 21.30.
-Thursday the 21st.
Spanish – Rayo Vallecano. Mateu Lahoz (C.Valenciano) 19.00.
Raise – Seville. Diaz de Mera Escuderos (CC-Manchego) 7:00 p.m.
Cadiz – Athletic Club. Pizarro Gómez (C. Madrid) 20.00.
Royal Society – FC Barcelona. From the Big Hill. (C. Madrid) 21.30.