Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the La Liga match.
The concluding fixture of the upcoming La Liga round will see Villarreal and Mallorca, two contenders in the European competition zone, face off. Both sides have reasonable prospects for securing places in the Europa Conference League and the Europa League next season, making it crucial for them to claim points from a nearby rival in the standings.
Villarreal
Villarreal have experienced a noticeable dip in form since the November international break — managing only one win in their last seven outings across all competitions. In their recent away clash against Real Sociedad (0:1), the team produced 1.10 xG of from 15 shots, yet their attacking struggles left them goalless once more. Villarreal are suffering from poor finishing — following Alexander Sørloth's transfer to Atlético Madrid, they lack top strikers, scoring only 34 goals from 39.76 xG.
Mallorca
Even after parting ways with Javier Aguirre, Mallorca have stuck to their defensive approach, registering just 19 goals in 19 matches (with only six teams scoring fewer). In their last four away games, they only surpassed the total over 2.5 once, and in the Super Cup against Real Madrid (0:3), they could only manage 0.26 xG without a single shot on target. Following such a comprehensive defeat, the coaching staff will emphasise strong defence.
Villarreal vs Mallorca Prediction
Since June 2020, Villarreal and Mallorca have faced each other eight times, with five of those meetings ending as total under 2.5. It's evident that these table neighbours will engage in a contest with few clear-cut chances.
