Preview: Granada vs. Mallorca - prediction, team news, lineups

Mallorca will be looking to stretch their unbeaten run of form in all competitions to six matches when they continue their La Liga campaign away to Granada on Sunday afternoon.

The visitors are currently 12th in Spain's top flight, having collected 20 points from their opening 17 matches, while Granada occupy 15th, collecting 16 points from their first 16 games of the season.

Match preview

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Granada have finished seventh and ninth in La Liga since returning from the Segunda Division, but they have found it difficult to show their best form in the opening months of the 2021-22 campaign, picking up just 16 points from 16 matches, which has left them in 15th spot in the table.

Robert Moreno's side are unbeaten in their last three league games, drawing with Athletic Bilbao and Cadiz, in addition to recording a 2-1 victory over Alaves at the start of December.

Granada were eliminated from the Copa del Rey on Thursday, though, courtesy of a 1-0 defeat to Mancha Real, with the La Liga club shocked by their fourth-tier opponents.

Nazaries will now switch their attention back to La Liga, with the team facing back-to-back home fixtures against Mallorca and Atletico Madrid before the winter break.

Granada were victorious when the two teams last locked horns at Nuevo Estadio de Los Carmenes in January 2020, recording a 1-0 win, while they have triumphed in three of their last four top-flight meetings.

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Mallorca, meanwhile, are unbeaten in their last five games in all competitions, and they have actually only lost one of their last 10 matches during an impressive run of form.

The Pirates progressed in the Copa del Rey on Thursday courtesy of a 6-0 win at Llanera, while they have picked up four points from their last two league matches, beating Atletico 2-1 at Wanda Metropolitano on December 4 before drawing 0-0 with Celta Vigo last time out.

Luis Garcia's side have won four, drawn eight and lost five of their 17 league matches this season to collect 20 points, which has left them in 12th position in the table.

Mallorca, who are looking to secure back-to-back seasons at this level of football for the first time since 2013, have only lost one of their last eight league matches, although they have drawn six times during that run.

Team News

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Granada will again be without the services of Neyder Lozano on Sunday through injury, while Domingos Duarte, Victor Diaz and Ruben Rochina remain doubts.

Jorge Molina was on the scoresheet in the 1-1 draw with Cadiz on December 13 and is again expected to feature alongside Luis Suarez in the final third of the field.

Head coach Moreno made changes for Thursday's Copa del Rey contest, but the likes of Luis Milla, Quini, Carlos Neva and Maxime Gonalons in line to return, while Darwin Machis will hope to feature, having made his return from injury off the bench in the cup game.

As for Mallorca, Joan Sastre, Antonio Raillo and Matthew Hoppe remain on the sidelines, while Amath Ndiaye and Lago Junior are still doubts for the away side.

The visitors are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation on Sunday, with Dani Rodriguez and Takefusa Kubo operating in the wide attacking positions, and Lee Kang-in playing behind Angel.

Rodrigo Battaglia was selected in the middle of the park against Celta in Mallorca's last league match, but Iddrisu Baba could be back in the side on Sunday afternoon.

Granada possible starting lineup:
Maximiano; Quini, Sanchez, Torrente, Neva; Puertas, Milla, Gonalons, Escudero; Molina, Suarez

Mallorca possible starting lineup:
Reina; Maffeo, Valjent, Russo, Costa; Galarreta, Baba; Kubo, Kang-in, D Rodriguez; Angel

We say: Granada 1-1 Mallorca

Mallorca have shared the points in eight of their 17 league matches this season, while Granada have drawn seven of their 16 fixtures. Both managers would likely accept a point if it were offered ahead of kickoff, and we are struggling to separate the two sides here, ultimately settling on a low-scoring draw.

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