Atleti return home for a big match in LaLiga.
Atlético Madrid (12-5-3, 41 points) return home to Spain after a mid-week Champions League letdown in Turkey against Galatasaray. The Rojiblancos will face off against Mallorca (5-6-9, 21 points), who are actively battling relegation.
Atlético find themselves in the early match on Sunday as they’ll kick things off at 2 PM local time. If you’re going to the match, expect a chilly and potentially rainy fixture in Madrid.
Los Colchoneros are eight points off leaders Barcelona and level on points with Villarreal, who have a match in hand. Atléti will aim to build on their 1–0 win over Deportivo Alavés last weekend. With a favorable result in the Real Madrid–Villarreal match, Atleti could climb into third place.
Mallorca are coming off a dramatic win against Athletic Club as they try to separate themselves from the pack in the bottom half of the table. It’s been a very up-and-down campaign for Jagoba Arrasate’s men, who have not been able to win more than two matches in a row thus far. Los Piratas’ best playeragain has been Vedat Muriqi, who has 14 goals in LaLiga this season and scored a hat trick against Athletic. That tally has the Kosovar sitting at second place in the Pichichi hunt. The bad news for Mallorca is after Muriqi, the consistent goal-scoring threats begin to shrivel.
Team news
We start first with the injury update. An already struggling Atleti attack took a hit with the recent news of Antoine Griezmann’s thigh injury, picked up during training on Friday. Griezmann, second on the team in goals, will miss Sunday’s game and is doubtful to face Bodø/Glimt in the UEFA Champions League next Wednesday.
A familiar name back in training is Clément Lenglet, who is in position to return to the matchday squad after six weeks injured. Whether you view that as good news or bad news is entirely up to you.
Julián Alvarez’s name is back in the papers, just as the Argentine endures a seven-game goal drought, his worst as an Atleti player. FC Barcelona and now English giants Arsenal have been linked with Alvarez, who is under contract to 2030. Let’s hope there’s no Griezmann-esque “I’m staying” documentary released once La Araña decides what his future will hold.
On a more positive note, it appears that Thiago Almada will be staying at Atleti for at least the remainder of the season, per Thiago Almada himself.
Possible 11: Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; Koke, Barrios, Simeone, Baena; Sørloth, Alvarez.
Score prediction: 1-0 with a goal from Pablo Barrios.
Historical matchup
Atlético de Madrid hold an all time record of 33-15-20 record over RCD Mallorca. The last meeting between the clubs was a 1-1 draw in Palma, where Conor Gallagher (no longer playing for Atleti) scored the lone goal. The match was particularly memorable for Alexander Sørloth, who picked up a red card in just 10 minutes of action.
Notable players who have represented both clubs
Mario Suárez, Thomas Partey, Antonio López, Miguel Ángel Moyà and Víctor Mollejo.
Category: General Sports
