Are the Basques missing the killer instinct once again?
RCD Mallorca gained some breathing space in the bottom of the table with an important 2-1 home win over Cadiz last matchday. The Bermellones thus ended a negative streak of just one point out of a possible 15 from five consecutive games and increased their lead over the first relegation place to four points.
Now, however, Athletic Bilbao will be an unpleasant opponent at the Visit Mallorca Estadi. The Basques have not lost any of their last nine competitive games against the Mallorcans and have conceded just three goals in that period. Accordingly, the odds in the run-up to the clash between Mallorca and Atheltic Bilbao are swinging in favour of the visitors.
Two scenarios are very likely in this clash. On the one hand, there is little to suggest a goal festival, as the Mallorcans have only scored ten goals in eleven home games, but conversely have the fourth-best home defence in La Liga with only nine goals conceded. On the other hand, the Basques have drawn eight of their twelve away games, which is why tip X also offers a lot of value for Mallorca against Athletic Bilbao.
The most interesting option is the combined bet on the double chance 1X with a maximum of two goals. After all, RCD Mallorca have only lost two of their last eleven home games.
Mallorca – Statistics & current form
Real Club Deportivo Mallorca have reached the final of the European Cup Winners’ Cup once before in 1999. Most recently, however, the Bermellones had to endure a very difficult phase after their relegation from La Liga in the summer of 2013.
In 2017/18, the Pirates even played only in the third division before failing to hold on in La Liga after two consecutive promotions. After direct re-promotion last summer, the club from the Spanish Mediterranean island is currently playing in a different division for the sixth consecutive year.
A big point also thanks to new signing Muriqi
The desire for more consistency is correspondingly great for the Bermellones, who want to do everything in their power to stay in the league and have also made additional purchases in the winter transfer market. With Sergio Rico from PSG and Vedat Muriqi from Lazio Roma, both of whom impressed against Cádiz last weekend, the Bermellones have scored two real coup de main.
The Mallorcans won 2-1 against their closest rivals after five consecutive league games without a win, thanks to Muriqi’s winning goal, to extend their one-point lead over the first relegation spot to four points.
The fourth best home defence in La Liga
Furthermore, the Bermellones also continued their strong home record. The promoted team has lost only two of its last eleven home games, for which only nine home goals in eleven league games are primarily responsible. The Mallorcans have the fourth best home defence in La Liga, but have failed to score in four of their last 15 home games.
Nevertheless, in view of the new signings, last weekend’s “big point” and Mallorca’s good home record against Athletic Bilbao, the odds are in favour of another Pirates win.
Predicted line-up of Mallorca:
Rico – Oliván – Raillo – Valjent – Maffeo – Sevilla – De Galarreta – D. Rodríguez – Á. Rodríguez – Kubo – Muriqi
Last matches played by Mallorca:
LaLiga
02/05 2022 – Mallorca 2 – 1 Cadiz
Copa del Rey
02/02 2022 – Rayo Vallecano 1 – 0 Mallorca
LaLiga
01/22 2022 – Villarreal FC 3 – 0 Mallorca
Copa del Rey
01/15 2022 – Mallorca 2 – 1 Espanyol
LaLiga
01/08 2022 – Levante 2 – 0 Mallorca
Athletic Bilbao – Statistics & current form
Athletic Bilbao have won the Spanish national championship eight times and have also won the Copa del Rey 23 times. Most recently, however, the Basques were defeated by Real Sociedad in the 2020 Cup final and by Barcelona in the 2021 final.
Accordingly, the Leones are eager to do better this year. The Basques knocked Real Madrid out of the Copa del Rey quarter-finals at the beginning of February and currently face Valencia CF in the semi-finals.
The draw king of La Liga
Bilbao were held to a 1-1 draw by the team from the east coast of Spain in the first leg on Thursday evening. The Basques thus remained undefeated in their fifth consecutive competitive match, but will be under pressure in the second leg in Valencia.
After all, the Leones are not exactly considered strong away from home. In eight of their twelve away games in La Liga, the only result was a draw. In fact, no team in La Liga has drawn more often than the Athletic Club in the 2021/22 season so far.
The showpiece is the defence
The Basque selection’s great trump card is also its defence. With 18 goals conceded from 23 league games, Bilbao have the second-best defence in La Liga. Conversely, Marcelino’s team has only scored an unimpressive 23 goals. In 19 of the last 20 away games, the Leones have scored no more than one goal of their own.
Against this backdrop, it comes as no surprise that the Basques, who have occasionally lacked the killer instinct to actually take the full three points, arrive as favourites
Predicted line-up of Athletic Bilbao:
Agirrezabala – Berchiche – Núnez – Álvarez – Lekue – Muniain – Vesga – D. García – Berenguer – Williams – R. García
Last matches played by Athletic Bilbao:
Copa del Rey
02/10 2022 – Athletic Bilbao 1 – 1 Valencia
LaLiga
02/07 2022 – Athletic Bilbao 2 – 1 Espanyol
Copa del Rey
02/03 2022 – Athletic Bilbao 1 – 0 Real Madrid
LaLiga
01/23 2022 – Rayo Vallecano 0 – 1 Athletic Bilbao
Copa del Rey
01/20 2022 – Athletic Bilbao 3 – 2 Barcelona
Mallorca – Athletic Bilbao Direct comparison / H2H record
Head to head: 18 – 14 – 31
There have been a total of 63 meetings between the two teams and the Leones lead the head-to-head comparison with 31 wins. Bilbao won the first leg 2-0 to remain unbeaten in their ninth consecutive competitive match against Mallorca. However, the last away game at the Bermellones resulted in a 0-0 draw.
Mallorca – Athletic Bilbao betting tips
For Mallorca against Athletic Bilbao, the prediction goes to a low-scoring game on the one hand, while on the other hand the draw tendency is very pronounced in this duel. No team has drawn as often as the Basques, while the Bermellones have only lost two of their last eleven home games.
Accordingly, bets on the double chance 1X as well as on a maximum of two goals when the fourth best home defence receives the best away defence in La Liga.
