Athletic Club vs Mallorca Preview

Athletic Bilbao will welcome Real Mallorca to the Estadio San Mamés this Friday as both sides battle for maximum points in the 23rd Round of the 2023/24 La Liga season.

Bilbao will be desperate to return to winning ways here as they are winless in two league games. Although they enjoyed much success in the Copa del Rey famously knocking out Barcelona recently, their pursuit of a top-four spot in the league has taken a hit in recent weeks with the club scoreless in each of their last two league outings (D1, L1).

Despite this, Ernesto Valverde’s side sit relatively comfortably in fifth place with a six-point gap to sixth ahead of this matchday. Their target remains climbing into the top four so a home return should be a boost for Athletic who have lost just once here in league action all season (W8, D2, L1). The hosts have won each of their last seven competitive home games in succession, a run bookended by a stunning 4-2 win over Barcelona.

Meanwhile, Mallorca, who like their hosts have enjoyed a strong run in the Copa del Rey have also stuttered in the league. The visitors beat Girona 3-2 to book their place in the Copa del Rey semi-finals but were beaten 1-0 by Real Betis last time out. That loss means they are winless in their last four league games (D2, L2).

Such form could drag them into the relegation battle with Mallorca presently occupying 15th position, just four points ahead of the relegation zone. They will hope to cause an upset here but the bad news is that the visitors have only overcome pre-match outsider status to win on one of 13 occasions in league action this season – one of the worst such win rates in the division (W1, D6, L6).

Such drab form also matches up well with their generally dire away league record this term (W1, D4, L6), which includes an eight-game travelling winless run in La Liga ahead of this tough trip. In fact, Mallorca had gone nearly six games without an away league goal until their 90th-minute equaliser against Villarreal on their latest trip.

Other fixtures taking place this week in the Spanish Primera Liga:

Spanish Primera Liga Table