Mallorca consolidates its leadership away from the island

The Mallorca, leader of the SmartBank League, has added more half of the points (31) of which he accumulates in the standings (57) after 9 victories and four draws as a visitor.

Unbeaten in thirteen starts, Luis García Plaza's team, chained with his last triumph in Logroño (0-1) a historic streak away from the island.

Mallorca has cemented the leadership by winning in the stadiums del Lugo, Alcorcón, Girona, Cartagena, Almería, Leganés, Rayo Vallecano, Albacete and Logroñés and tied for visits to Espanyol, Mirandés, Real Zaragoza and Real Oviedo.

The vermilion numbers this year they are direct promotion, a goal threatened, however, by the tireless persecution of their direct rivals, Espanyol, Almería, Leganés and Sporting de Gijón.

If surprising is the performance of the Mallorquinistas as visitors, even more so is its defensive strength: the goal that defends Manolo Reina has only conceded 4 goals in 1,183 minutes played out.

Mallorca was scored by Cartagena (1-2), Oviedo (2-2) and Rayo Vallecano (1-3).

Point weak of the leader of Second has been at home, with four defeats against Rayo (0-1), Fuenlabrada (2-3), Las Palmas (0-1) and Espanyol (1-2).

The level of play exhibited so far by the leader far exceeds the expectations created after relegation to Second.

Very few expected that after the departure of the Japanese Take Kubo, the Colombian 'Cucho' Hernández and the Croatian Ante Budimir, and without the arrival of flashy signings, the team was at the top of the table on matchday 27.

Garcia keeps the block who rose from Second B to First in two years, reinforced by players who are giving great performances, such as Amath Ndiayé, loaned by Getafe, and the “recovered” Íñigo Ruiz de Galarreta and Antonio Sánchez.

To them is added a very solid defensive block with the duo Martin Valjent-Antonio Raíllo, and a midfield where they are shining Salva Sevilla and Dani Rodríguez.

But, the big news in the Balearic ranks this season is the Mallorcan striker Abdón Prats, who has scored 7 goals, one of them of great invoice and that gave the triumph in Almería, after a year and a half drought without celebrating any.

Mallorca, with a total of 17 wins, 6 draws and 4 losses, advances steadily towards the First Division.

However, it has a pending issue: that of renewing the contracts of Salva Sevilla, Antonio Sánchez, Abdón Prats, and that of his “pearl” from the quarry, Luka romero, 16 years old, born in Durango (Mexico) and international under-15 with Argentina.

The other is “enjoy”, as Luis García claimed: “We have a feeling that even in victories to win is to free you from anguish. The demand to win and win is so great that I have told the players that we must enjoy,” he declared after the recent victory in Las Gaunas.