Match Preview: Mallorca – Villarreal Prediction and Betting Tips | LALIGA

Mallorca – Villarreal Prediction Prediction and Tips for today

Best soccer tips for today SPAIN: LALIGA: Mallorca – Villarreal Prediction Prediction and Tips for today, August 18, 2023.

Football: SPAIN: LALIGA – ROUND 2
Kick-off: 18:30 Mallorca – Villarreal
Tip: Over 1.5 Goals
Odds: 1.46
Bookmaker: 10Bet
Match Result: 0:1 LOST

Mallorca – Villarreal Prediction and Preview

• Mallorca launched their 2023/24 La Liga (LL) campaign by claiming a hard-earned point at Las Palmas (D 1-1), fighting back after conceding first and then missing a first-half penalty. “I think it was a fair result,” admitted manager Javier Aguirre in the wake of that clash, after he watched on as Mallorca drew their league-opening game for the third season in a row.
• Last term, the Pirates followed up an opening-round away draw with a home defeat, but they will hope to navigate away from potentially choppy waters and avoid a repeat, having not lost a home league fixture since early March (W4, D3). The last three of those wins came ‘to nil’, showing how Aguirre’s side have made Son Moix a difficult place to visit, not least for Villarreal, as Mallorca haven’t tasted defeat in a home H2H since May 2009 (W4, D2).
• After conceding late on to lose 2-1 to Real Betis on opening day, Villarreal travel in the unusual position of being pointless after round one – something they haven’t been since 2018/19. Manager Quique Setién insisted his side “lacked freshness and inspiration when it came to making decisions,” as they made a disappointing start to life without big-money summer departures Nicolas Jackson, Pau Torres and Samuel Chukwueze.
• That aforementioned poor H2H record in the Balearics is also a concern for the Yellow Submarine, whose fans can be forgiven for travelling in a pessimistic mood as they are used to seeing their side start poorly away from home. In fact, last season’s 3-0 triumph at Real Valladolid was the first time Villarreal had won their opening league away game of the season since 2014/15 (D4, L3)!
• Key battle: Mallorca captain and centre-back Antonio Raíllo led by example by scoring against Las Palmas, making it his fifth consecutive LL strike to come after the 55th minute. His primary duty here will be stopping one of Villarreal’s summer signings, Alexander Sørloth, from doing something similar as the Norwegian’s last four league goals have arrived after the 50th minute.
• Hot streak: The last three H2Hs anywhere all produced goals in both halves (Mallorca: W2, L1).