Mallorca has the urgent need to beat Levante this Thursday, an opponent who only plays to finish the best possible, to keep intact their options of permanence with 12 points at stake and 6 below the teams that mark the frontier of salvation -Eibar and Alavés-.
Vicente Moreno’s team – eighteenth, with 29 points – comes from falling (3-0) in the Wanda Metropolitano against Atlético de Madrid, but the day before they beat Celta (5-1) and showed a very high level of play at the Mallorca Visit Estadi.
Moreno recovers the Croatian Ante Budimir, the team’s top scorer with 12 goals, and the Slovak central defender Martín Valjent, lost in the Wanda by penalty, and will be able to line up his gala eleven against Levante.
One more day in this final stretch of the championship, the presence of the Japanese Take Kubo and the Colombian ‘Cucho’ Hernández in the attack is being decisive for the interests of the Balearic team.
Kubo and ‘Cucho’, on loan from Real Madrid and Watford, respectively, have shown their talent to open spaces in rival defenses, a facet in which the Japanese has stood out in a special way.
Also, if Moreno gives him minutes, the Argentine U-15 international, born in Durango (Mexico), Luka Romero, who made history in Spanish soccer when he debuted at age 15 and 219 days on June 24, before the news, may make news. Madrid, at the Alfredo Di Stéfano stadium.
If he plays, the pearl of the Majorcan quarry would debut on the island with the first team shirt. Mallorca have shown their best level in Palma, where they have added 24 of the 29 points they accumulate in their locker, 3 of them won in the first round victory against Real Madrid (1-0).
With a victory against Levante, the vermilions would be fully involved in the fight for permanence, waiting for the results they will achieve against their next rivals, Sevilla and Osasuna as a visitor, and Granada at home.
With the intention of maintaining the good level shown after the confinement but with nothing at stake, Levante will recover Enis Bardhi tomorrow, sanctioned in the last duel against Real Sociedad, and has the doubt of defender Sergio Postigo, who retired with some Hip discomfort against the Basque team and this afternoon will perform a test in the team’s last training session.
After afternoon training, Levante coach Paco López plans to offer the list of twenty-three players called up to travel to Mallorca.
If Paco López maintains what has been done so far, Coke and Toño will occupy the wings on defense and Miramón and Clerc will return to the bench. If Postigo is not ready, the Galician Rober Pier or the Costa Rican Óscar Duarte would accompany Vezo, who has played every minute since the restart, in the rear axle.
The Valencian coach has rested players for the midfield, since Bardhi and Melero, in principle, would be in the initial formation and could give Vukcevic, Campaña or Rochina rest.
In attack the fittest player is José Luis Morales, with two goals in eight days, so his presence in the starting eleven seems probable and in this case Roger Martí would be his companion.
Probable lineups:
- Mallorca:
Queen; Pozo, Valjent, Raíllo, Fran Gámez; Kubo, Salva Sevilla, Baba, Dani Rodríguez; ‘Cucho’ Hernández and Budimir.
- Levante:
Aitor; Coke, Vezo, Postigo or Rober Pier, Toño, Campaña or Rochina, Radoja, Bardhi, Melero, Roger and Morales.
- Referee:
Soto Grado (C. Riojano).
- Stadium and schedule:
Visit Mallorca. 19:30 h.
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