We share all the details from the LaLiga match played at the Visit Mallorca Estadi.
Mallorca hosted Villarreal on a Friday night at Son Moix in Mallorca, kicking off the second matchday of the 2023-2024 season. Quique Setién’s side secured a 0-1 victory for the visitors.
Watch Mallorca vs. Villarreal from LaLiga 2023-24
Note: Darder made his Mallorca bow on loan, marking a notable moment of the game.
Videos, lineups and news from Mallorca vs Villarreal in LaLiga
In the 90th minute, Villarreal nearly doubled the lead as Capoue advanced on goal and Rajković produced a crucial save after a break in the Balearic defense.
Minute 62 saw Gerard Moreno open the scoring for Villarreal. From a corner that Baena failed to convert, Rajković saved Muriqi’s follow-up, but the ball fell to Gerard at the far post and he finished with precision, giving Villarreal a 1-0 lead.
Earlier, Villareal created danger from a controlled move by Gerard, but a handball by the Mallorca defender nullified the chance as Rajković came out to clear.
It was a goalless first half with Villarreal pressing and Mallorca’s defense holding strong. The main incident involved Raíllo, a key pillar of Mallorca’s defense, who appeared to suffer an injury that paused the game and forced an early reboot later in the match.
The first half ended with Mallorca 0 Villarreal 0. Five minutes of added time were announced for stoppages.
At the start of stoppage time, Mallorca made a substitution due to injury: Gio González came on for Raíllo, who had been struggling to continue after an earlier clash.
Earlier, Raíllo looked to be in discomfort after a clash with Sorloth, possibly spraining his left ankle, and the match had to pause so medical staff could assist him.
Earlier chances included a near miss from Baena as he cut inside Brereton’s feed and fired a shot toward the near post, only to miss narrowly on the keeper’s side. In the sixteenth minute, Mallorca had a promising moment when Maffeo found space and Pedraza charged forward to clear a potential scoring chance after a deflection, though the play had been ruled offside due to Amath’s involvement just before the move.
Historically, Mallorca had won their previous two LaLiga meetings with Villarreal, and the side hoped to extend that run with a third consecutive win over the Groguet side this season.
Villarreal named Jorgensen, Pedraza, Cuenca, Gabbia, Foyth, Álex Baena, Parejo, Terrats, Brereton, Sørloth, and Gerard Moreno in a 4-3-3 formation. After a tough recent setback, Setién reshuffled the lineup, starting Gabbia and Brereton and trying to inject fresh energy into the team.
The Mallorca side lined up with Rajković in goal, Maffeo at right back, Copete and Raíllo in central defense alongside Valjent, Jaume Costa on the left, Morlanes and Mascarell in central midfield, Dani Rodríguez orchestrating from midfield, Amath and Muriqi up front in a 5-3-2 system. Raíllo’s substitution brought Gio on in defense, while Aguirre kept a similar setup with a slightly different balance in the duel.
Two teams with contrasting styles faced off as the second day of LaLiga opened. Mallorca welcomed Villarreal in a match where both sides sought their first win of the season, setting the stage for a tense, hard-fought encounter. The game carried a sense of urgency for both sides as injuries and substitutions reshaped the tactical balance and momentum.
Source: Goal