Preview: Mallorca vs. Real Sociedad - prediction, team news, lineups

Real Sociedad will be bidding to make it back-to-back wins in La Liga when they make the trip to Palma on Wednesday evening to take on Mallorca.

The away side are currently seventh in the table, four points behind fourth-placed Barcelona, while Mallorca sit 16th, only five points clear of the bottom three at a key stage of the season.

Match preview

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Mallorca started February with back-to-back wins over Cadiz and Athletic Bilbao, but the strugglers have since lost their last two to Real Betis and Valencia, suffering a 1-0 home defeat to the latter on Saturday.

Luis Garcia's side are far from out of the relegation picture this season, currently sitting 16th in the table, five points clear of 18th-placed Alaves on the same number of matches (26).

Mallorca secured a return to the top flight by finishing second in the Segunda Division last term, and they are bidding to make it back-to-back seasons at this level for the first time since 2013.

The Pirates have only actually lost three of their 13 home league fixtures this season, which is far from a disastrous record, but they have been held on six occasions in front of their own supporters, while only the bottom four teams have won fewer matches overall (six).

Mallorca have lost each of their last four La Liga matches with Real Sociedad, including a 1-0 defeat in the reverse match earlier this season, with Los Bermellones not overcoming the Basque outfit in Spain's top flight since a 1-0 home success in September 2012.

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Real Sociedad, meanwhile, will enter the match off the back of a 1-0 win over Osasuna on Sunday, with Aritz Elustondo's strike early in the second half proving to be the difference between the two sides.

Imanol Alguacil's side suffered a 4-0 loss at Athletic Bilbao on February 20, but they have only lost one of their last seven in the league, winning two of their last three, which has left them in seventh spot in the table.

Real Sociedad are only four points behind fourth-placed Barcelona, while they sit just a point behind sixth-placed Villarreal, who have played a game more, so the Basque side are in the mix for a European finish.

The White and Blues have been an inconsistent side on their travels in La Liga this season, winning four, drawing four and losing four of their 12 matches, collecting 16 points in the process.

Real Sociedad also suffered disappointment in the Europa League last week, losing 3-1 at home to RB Leipzig in the second leg of their knockout round playoff affair, which saw them eliminated 5-3 on aggregate.

Team News

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Mallorca will again be missing Dominik Greif, Iddrisu Baba and Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta on Wednesday night through injury, but the home side do not have any fresh fitness concerns.

Head coach Garcia is expected to resist the temptation to shuffle his pack from the defeat to Valencia, with Salva Sevilla set to keep his spot in central midfield, while Dani Rodriguez is likely to play off the left.

Angel Rodriguez and Vedat Muriqi are also both likely to start for the home side, meaning that Lee Kang-in and Abdon Prats might have to accept spots on the bench once again.

As for Real Sociedad, a lengthy injury list includes Joseba Zaldua, Diego Rico, Adnan Januzaj, Carlos Fernandez, Nacho Monreal and Ander Barrenetxea.

Mikel Oyarzabal came off the bench in the win over Osasuna and is expected to feature in the starting XI here, while Alguacil could also freshen his attack by introducing Portu in a wide area.

David Silva should be fit to feature from the first whistle once again, though, and Alexander Isak, who continues to be linked with a move to the Premier League, is set to lead the line for the visitors.

Mallorca possible starting lineup:
Rico; Maffeo, Valjent, Raillo, Costa; Sevilla, Sanchez; Kubo, Angel, D Rodriguez; Muriqi

Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:
Remiro; Elustondo, Le Normand, Pacheco, Gorosabel; Merino, Illarramendi; Oyarzabal, D Silva, Portu; Isak

We say: Mallorca 1-2 Real Sociedad

Mallorca really need a win to ease their relegation concerns, but we are finding it difficult to back the home side here. Real Sociedad have not won on their travels in La Liga since the start of November, but we just have a feeling that the Basque outfit will shade this contest to collect all three points.

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