Mallorca vs Osasuna prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2023-12-20 20:30.
This is not how November and December was quite meant to go for Mallorca, who appear in for a lengthy and difficult scrap for survival. A period of four consecutive La Liga (LL) games against fellow bottom-half opponents was their key opportunity to grab a raft of points and earn themselves some breathing space from the relegation zone. They might have come out of those games relatively unscathed but three draws (W1), including failing to score against the league’s worst defence at the weekend (0-0 away to AlmerĂa), has left them looking over their shoulder heading into the winter break.
Head coach Javier Aguirre insists the team have been “creating enough scoring chances”, and remains confident that their tally of just three goals from nine LL games since the start of October (W1, D5, L3) will “explode” if they can persist. But with the difficulty of the opposition set to increase in coming weeks, Mallorca may also need a bit of fortune going their way.
Nobody would have been more relieved about Osasuna’s 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano at the weekend than head coach Jagoba Arrasate, whose tenure of more than five years was being threatened by a six-game period without a LL win. “We needed it!” he declared after their first LL victory since October 20 kept the relegation zone at bay.
Their two games either side of the Christmas break – this one followed by a home game against winless AlmerĂa – are also a fantastic chance for them to increase their buffer from the bottom three that stood at six points at the start of this round. It would also signal a step forward in their inconsistent season if they were able to take points home from the island, after their previous four wins of this LL campaign were all immediately followed up by losses.
Players to watch: Cyle Larin is one player hoping luck turns his way after he finally found the net in their last LL home outing. Osasuna’s Aimar Oroz is searching for his first goal since late August, although he could be inspired here as he scored the only goal of their two games against Mallorca last season.
Hot stat: Mallorca have won just one of their six LL games as pre-match favourites this season (D4, L1).