J30 Valencia vs Mallorca

Mestalla Stadium​

Sunday March 30th​

17:00 Local time - Valencia​

Real Club Deportivo Mallorca
Founded on March 5, 1916, and is a Spanish Club from Palma. Their home stadium is the ONO Estadi that seats 23,142 spectators. The oldest club in the Balearic Islands, Mallorca was originally formed by Adolfo Vázquez, a republican engineer, who named the club Junta Directiva del Alfonso XIII FBC after the then king. The first stadium, inaugurated on March 25, was called the Buenos Aires, with a match against FC Barcelona (which Barcelona won 8-0). A year later, the club changed its name to Real Sociedad Alfonso XIII, which remained until the club was renamed in 1931, for political reasons, Club Deportivo Mallorca. The Real prefix was added in 1949.
In its history, the team has spent 20 seasons in the Primera División, 29 in Segunda División, 2 in Segunda B División and 11 in Tercera División.

Chairman Vicenç Grande Garau
Head Coach Gregorio Manzano

Current Squad

1. GK Miguel Àngel Moyà Spain
2. DF Iván Ramis Spain
3. DF Fernando Navarro Spain
5. MF Lionel Scaloni Argentina
6. MF Angelos Basinas Greece
7. MF Fernando Varela Spain
8. MF Borja Valero Spain
9. FW Pierre Webó Cameron
10. MF Ariel Ibagaza Argentina
11. FW Tuni Spain
12. MF Gonzalo Castro Uruguay
14. FW Daniel Güiza Spain
15. DF Francisco Molinero Spain
16. DF Nunes Portugal
17. DF David Navarro(loan Valencia CF) Spain
18. MF Juan Arango Venezuela
20. FW Óscar Trejo Argentina
21. DF Javier Dorado Spain
22. DF Sergio Ballesteros Spain
23. MF Jonás Gutiérrez Argentina
24. DF Héctor Spain
25. GK Germán Lux Argentina
26. MF Emilio Nsue Spain

Statistics in Primera División

Position in historical classification in La Liga: 19 [2]
Matches played: 760
Matches won: 251
Matches drawn: 198
Matches lost: 311
Goals for: 875
Goals against: 1039
Goal difference: -164
Points: 844 pts
Best position in La Liga: 3rd. (2 times), 1998/99 and 2000/2001

La Liga 2007/08
Position: 12th
Games Played: 29
Games Won: 8
Games Drawn: 13
Games Lost: 8
Goals For: 46
Goals Against: 42
Points: 39
Top Goalscorer: Güiza 15 goals

STARS

Daniel González Güiza


(born 17 August 1980) is a Spanish footballer who currently plays for RCD Mallorca. He was born in Jérez de la Frontera (CADIZ). He plays as a striker and he started playing in Xerez CD. On November 8, 2007 he was called for Spain national football team. He made his international debut against Northern Ireland on 21 November 2007. has scored 15 goals in La Liga for Mallorca this season, to me he seems like a very lethal striker that can score from nothing.

Pierre Achille Webó Kouamo

(born January 1, 1982 Bafoussam, Cameroon) is a footballer from Cameroon. He currently plays in Spain for RCD Mallorca. He also plays for Cameroon. He started his European career in 2002 with Madrid outfit CD Leganés, then moved the following season to CA Osasuna, for whom he scored 6 goals in 2005-06, being instrumental in getting the Navarrans into the La Liga top four for a place in the Champions League qualifiers, which Osasuna eventually lost to Hamburger SV, but has been injured for most of the season but expected to be back soon.

Ariel Miguel Santiago Ibagaza

aka El Caño Ibagaza (born 27 October 1976 in Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an Argentine football player who currently plays for RCD Mallorca[1] of Spanish La Liga. His usual position is midfielder, more specifically in a playmaker role. He is currently Mallorca's captain.
In May 2007, Ibagaza signed a new two-year contract with Mallorca, despite interest from Premiership clubs. I think he is a key player for Mallorca against us, He controls all the team, his passing, his vision and his organizing is certainly one of Mallorca's weapons, I think if he will give us a lot a hard time, so our midfield pair should try to keep him calm.
Juan Arango

(b. May 16/17, 1980 in Maracay) is a Venezuelan footballer who plays as an attacking Midfielder for RCD Mallorca, in the first division of the professional football league in Spain, and for Venezuela's national team.
Arango is known as "Arangol" in Venezuela, and has been nicknamed the "Caribbean Hurricane" by Luis Omar Tapia in ESPN's telecasts.
Arango is one of the few Venezuelan players ever to play for a first division team in any of the major European leagues. He has become a key player for his team, being a regular starter and possesses great vision and eye for goal. Arango started his career as an out and out striker but since moving to Mallorca has enjoyed better performances playing just off the front strikers in a role similarly played out by Kaká and Messi.

Jonás Gutiérrez

is an Argentine football winger. He was born on May 7, 1983, in the city of Roque Sáenz Peña in the Buenos Aires Province of Argentina.
He played for Vélez Sársfield in Argentina between 2001 and 2005. The highlight of his Vélez career was being part of the team that won the Primera Division Argentina Clausura Tournament in 2005.
After winning the title in 2005 he signed with RCD Mallorca, where he currently plays.
He earned his first cap against France, February 2007. He often celebrates his goals by putting on a Spiderman mask. is a great player that poses great speed in the left band of Mallorca, Valencia and several Premierleague clubs were interested in his services.
Previous Meetings

RCD Mallorca 0 - 2 Valencia C.F. 2007/08
Valencia C.F. 3 - 1 RCD Mallorca 2006/07
RCD Mallorca 0 - 1 Valencia C.F. 2006/07
Valencia C.F. 3 - 0 RCD Mallorca 2005/06
RCD Mallorca 2 - 1 Valencia C.F 2005/06

Total Meetings between the two clubs are few and in fact only 20 meetings in which Valencia won 75% of them and lost 25%.
Styles of Play:



Amunt Valencia....AMUNT VALENCIA....

La Liga Preview: Valencia – Mallorca

What: La Liga, Matchday 30
Who: Valencia (11th, 39pts) vs RCD Mallorca (12th, 37pts)
When: Sunday, 30th January 2008, 1700 CET
Where: Estadio Mestalla, Valencia
Referee: Alvarez Izquierdo



After two successive stunning wins, Valencia are riding on a wave of a high inarguably for the first time this season. Trying to bring them back down to earth this weekend will be a Mallorca side who, although are having an uneventful campaign, are more than capable of pulling off a surprise.

The Turning Point

Valencia are having, without exaggeration, a nightmare of a season. But everything and anything over the past six months have been momentarily forgotten after a memorable few days last week.

The 2008 Copa del Rey finalists recorded identical 3-2 wins over behemoths Barcelona in Real Madrid in the space of four days. And those four days could very well prove to be the turning point in their tumultuous campaign. But such is the congestion in mid table that even with the spectacular upset at the Bernabéu last week, Los Ché have made up virtually no ground in the league table, as they remain stuck in 11th place for a second week.

They have, however, bridged a seven point gap to the relegation zone after entering last weekend’s encounter against the reigning league champions just a frightening four points clear of the demotion places.

Ronald Koeman’s side still have to win back the support and confidence of the Mestalla faithful after an atrocious run of just one win in their last eight home matches in La Liga, a miserable sequence that stretches all the way back to early December. In fact, as things stand right now, they have the worse record at home in the league, equal with rock-bottom and city neighbours Levante’s four wins and three draws.

But Valencia have the ignominy of scoring one goal less and conceding one more than their sister club. Los Ché now have the momentum firmly on their side. And not to mention the immense morale boost from last week’s turn of events. Whether or not Koeman and his charges can go on to make full use of it and salvage whatever is left of the season remains to be seen.

But rest assured, the white handkerchiefs will not hesitate to come straight back out if the team fail to perform at home again on Sunday against Mallorca.

Mid-Table Mediocrity

Unlike Valencia, Mallorca are keeping a low profile this term, as they do almost every other season. They currently sit just one place behind their opponents on Sunday in 12th but they have made nowhere near as many rippling headlines. The side from the Balearic Islands appear to have steadied their ship to settle in comfortably around mid-table, after making an early splash in the campaign looking to challenge for a top six finish.

Amazingly enough, Mallorca have only lost once in their last eleven league games, although seven of them have ended all square, making them the draw specialists this season. Gregorio Manzano’s men have little to play for for the remainder of the campaign, with a UEFA Cup berth looking well out of their reach.

They do, however, still have to be careful not to be sucked down into the relegation zone as they lie just five points clear of the bottom three. Even though at no stage of this season have they looked at risk of going down, the closely fought battle from 8th place all the way down to 18th (separated by only seven points) means that the ever-present threat is there for the Barralets until they mathematically ensure their place in the top flight for next term.

That threat could be made very immediate if they lose at the Mestalla. It is a ground where Mallorca have never won at before and if the curse continues, they could be staring at just a two point gap separating them from the dreaded drop zone by the time the new week begins.

FORM GUIDE

Valencia

Mar 23 Real Madrid vs Valencia 2-3 (LA LIGA)

Mar 20 Valencia vs Barcelona 3-2 (COPA DEL REY)

Mar 15 Valencia vs Sevilla 1-2 (LA LIGA)

Mar 09 Valencia vs Deportivo La Coruña 2-2 (LA LIGA)

Mar 01 Espanyol vs Valencia 2-0 (LA LIGA)

RCD Mallorca

Mar 22 Mallorca vs Deportivo La Coruña 1-0 (LA LIGA)

Mar 16 Espanyol vs Mallorca 2-1 (LA LIGA)

Mar 09 Mallorca vs Recreativo Huelva 7-1 (LA LIGA)

Mar 02 Getafe vs Mallorca 3-3 (LA LIGA)

Feb 24 Mallorca vs Real Betis 1-1 (LA LIGA)

TEAM NEWS

Valencia

Koeman will have a few defensive headaches ahead of the clash. Carlos Marchena suspended for yellow card accumulation while Raúl Albiol is a huge doubt after failing to train on Friday due to fever. Alexis Ruano, however, is back in action after a long lay-off and he could make his long awaited comeback this Sunday. Vicente is a certain absentee as he nurses a toe injury but fellow midfielder Edu has resumed training with the rest of the squad, although he has yet to regain full match fitness.

Probable Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Hildebrand – Miguel, Alexis/Albiol, Helguera, Caneira – Maduro, Baraja – Joaquín, Silva, Mata – Villa

RCD Mallorca

Manzano also has a few dilemmas of his own at the back. Centreback Ballesteros is serving out the second of his two-game ban, while David Navarro is ineligible to play against his former club due to a contractual clause. Lionel Scaloni is also out of contention as he struggles to overcome a niggle in his right thigh, but midfielders Angelos Basinas and Ariel Ibagaza has recovered from their respective injuries and will be available for selection.

Probable Starting XI (4-4-2): Moyá – Héctor, Ramis, Nunes, Fernando Navarro – Varela, Basinas, Ibagaza, Jonás – Güiza, Arango

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Valencia – David Villa

The Asturian-born hotshot made a slow comeback in January after a month long lay off but he is back in full flight again, netting twice against el Real last weekend and scoring that humdinger of a volley in midweek for Spain. Just like the rest of his teammates, confidence is running high and he will be the major threat to the visiting defence.

RCD Mallorca – Daniel Güiza

Mallorca’s answer to Villa is Güiza. The 27 year old is looking to confirm his place in Luís Aragonés’ Euro 2008 plans and having netted 15 times already so far, five more than the Ché hitman, a few more goals from now until the end of the season won’t hurt his cause at all.

PREDICTION

Valencia continue to look uncomfortable when playing in front of their home fans. Furthermore, they won’t be able to sit back and play on the counter, an approach that worked so effectively against Barça and Madrid. Mallorca themselves are a team who are quite handy when it comes to that particular style of play and it could very well be a case of who blinks first. Valencia 1-1 Mallorca

KS Leong

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Damn, what do we have to do to get a positive prediction from Goal.com

Anyway, continiung our ridiculous superstitious inclinations in this forum, I believe whenever Goal says we're gonna lose, we usually win. It happened in the last two matches p

Porteros: Hildebrand y Mora.
Defensa: Caneira, Miguel, Alexis, Helguera, Albiol y Moretti.
Centrocampistas: Maduro, Sunny, Ever, Joaquín, Baraja y Edu.
Delanteros: Mata, Arizmendi, Morientes, Villa y Silva.

Albiol is ill and can't play, he's withdrawn from the squad.
Alexis will probably then make his comeback :happy: ...In case Koeman doesn't opt for Caneira or Moretti there in the centre :scared:

Hildebrand
Miguel - Helguera - Alexis - Moretti
Maduro - Banega
Silva
Arizmendi - Villa - Mata​

Well... Maybe Baraja plays instead of Banega because he has shown some good form lately and was quite good against Real Madrid. Arizmendi have scored and Koeman seems to love him as Quique so, probably yes.