Mallorca vs Ath Bilbao prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2023-09-02 14:15.
Mallorca are coming into the fourth round of La Liga (LL) fixtures still looking for their first victory of the season after another sluggish start to a league campaign. Having won only one of their first five league games in 2022/23, and one of their first seven in La Liga the previous season, a trio of games against Las Palmas, Villarreal and Granada have yielded only one point so far in 2023/24.
Keeping the back door shut has proved impossible for Javier Aguirre’s side over the first three games, whilst he was also made to lament penalty misses by Vedat Muriqi against Granada and Las Palmas, and he will be keen to see them return to the form from last season where only champions Barcelona conceded fewer league goals at home. However, this task has been made much harder with the news that captain Antonio Raíllo will miss the next three months as he recuperates from ankle surgery.
Athletic Bilbao finished only one place and one point above Mallorca last season but should make the trip to the Balearic island in high spirits targeting their third successive LL win. Coach Ernesto Valverde is looking to match their start on the road from last season when they won back-to-back games and were unbeaten in their opening four matches away from San Mamés.
The visitors have scored six times in their last two matches, including four against Real Betis last weekend as they came back from a two-goal deficit to win 4-2. Valverde was understandably delighted, hailing the spirit of his side and their ability to “bounce back in an adverse situation.” He should therefore be expecting more goals against this Mallorca team than the single strike they managed across last season’s pair of H2Hs (0-0 and 1-1).
Players to watch: 22-year-old Portuguese midfielder Samú Costa recorded his first goal for Mallorca last weekend, with both of his LL goals coming in the second half. Meanwhile, Gorka Guruzeta has found the net in his last two games, but on both occasions he was not Athletic’s first goalscorer.
Hot stat: Mallorca have conceded no more than one goal in 18 of their last 19 LL home games.