Mallorca and Osasuna seek to finish 2023 by avoiding relegation
MADRID, 20 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Girona visits Real Betis at the Benito Villamarín this Thursday with the aim of finishing the year 2023 as leader of LaLiga EA Sports, while Real Sociedad visits Nuevo Mirandilla with the ambition of adding three points that would tighten the fight for positions of the Champions League, and Mallorca and Osasuna seek to close the year with a victory at the Stadi Mallorca Son Moix that moves them away from the relegation spots.
Real Betis hosts Girona (7:00 p.m.) in a match in which the Catalans seek to finish leaders in 2023. It will be a tough test for Míchel's team, since the Verdiblancos have made their stadium a fortress and are, along with Atlético de Madrid, Real Madrid and Getafe, the only team that has not yet lost in the League at home.
A good performance in front of their fans from Manuel Pellegrini's team who will fight with the best visitor in Europe. And Míchel's team has achieved 22 of the 24 points they have played away from home, remaining undefeated away from Montilivi, where they have had seven consecutive wins. In addition, the leader of the classification is the highest scoring team away from home with 20 goals, managing to pierce the opponent's goal 10 times in their last three outings.
For its part, Real Betis, which has not lost in the League since September 16 and has had a string of 12 scoring games, is basing its good league performance on defensive solidity. The green and white team has only conceded two goals in the last six games, managing to keep a clean sheet in four of them, although the Andalusian team has achieved victory in one of its last five games, against Las Palmas at the Benito Villamarín (1 -0).
The bad news for the Betis is that they will not be able to count on their best player so far this season, an Isco who is serving a suspension cycle. A setback for Manuel Pellegrini's men when it came to controlling the match, in a fight for the ball in the midfield that will mark the future of the match.
In the Betic eleven, William Carvalho is the player who has the advantage to replace Isco. Furthermore, the entry of Assane Diao or Luiz Henrique in the eleven to the detriment of Abde, and Bellerín for Ruibal could be the novelties with respect to the team that tied at the Reale Arena. For his part, Míchel has not been able to recover Tsigankov, so Portu would repeat on the right wing, giving continuity to the team that won convincingly against Deportivo Alavés last Monday (3-0).
At the same time, at the Nuevo Mirandilla, Cádiz will face Real Sociedad (7:00 p.m.) in a match in which the objectives of both are very different. Cádiz will seek to end the club's worst streak without a victory in the history of the First Division, while the 'txuri urdin' team is looking for three points that would place it just two units behind Atlético de Madrid.
Imanol Alguacil's team arrives immersed in a streak of four consecutive League visits without losing. Furthermore, he is not bad at the 'Silver Cup', where he has won in his last three games in the League, keeping a clean sheet in all of them. In fact, Real has not conceded a goal in Cádiz since May 2006.
Sergio González's Cádiz, out of the relegation places but only one point above the second-to-last place, has failed to win in its last five home games, although in front of its home crowd it has only been defeated in this league on two occasions. However, he is having problems defensively, one of the strong points of the Andalusian team in past campaigns, and there are already 10 consecutive games in which he has conceded.
In terms of sports, Sergio could shore up the midfield line by bringing on Kouamé instead of Álex Fernández, as well as changing the left wing with Javi Hernández and Robert Navarro, both substitutes against Las Palmas. Up front, Alguacil will not be able to count on Zakharyan, a starter in Real's last six games. Sadiq, a substitute against Betis, would come in to replace him, moving Oyarzabal to the left side of the royalist attack.
Finally, Mallorca and Osasuna meet at the Stadi Mallorca Son Moix (9:30 p.m.) in a duel that could leave the locals very affected, and if they don't win they could end the year 2023 in relegation positions. For its part, Osasuna, which would remain just one point above Mallorca if it lost, is looking for a victory with which to climb into the quiet zone of the classification.
Both teams are coming off long streaks without winning. The locals have added 4 of the last 6 points, and there are now four consecutive league games in which they have not lost, while Osasuna, who beat Rayo Vallecano on the previous day, has added identical units as their rival in their two previous league commitments, although they have lost in three of their last four visits.
In the casualties section, Javier Aguirre loses Omar Mascarell, injured in the match against Almería, with Giovanni and Copete bidding for his place in the vermilion eleven. On the other hand, he recovers Kike Barja, but loses Rubén García, who had to be replaced against Rayo Vallecano.
–PROGRAM FOR DAY 18 IN LALIGA EA SPORTS.
-Thursday the 21st.
Betis – Girona. From Burgos Bengoechea (C.Vasco) 19.00.
Cádiz – Real Sociedad. Villanueva Churches (C.Gallego) 7:00 p.m.
Mallorca – Osasuna. Melero López (C.Andaluz) 21.30.
Alavés – Real Madrid. Díaz de Mera Escuderos (CCmanchego) 21.30.