One of the most intense matches of LaLiga EA Sports Round 33 took place in Palma: Mallorca hosted Valencia in a fight to stay in the top division. With five rounds left in the season, both teams found themselves in the danger zone, and the outcome of the match directly affected their chances of remaining in the league.
Focus on leaders and lineup changes
In the hosts’ attack, Muriqi once again stood out, already having scored 21 goals and provided one assist this season—this is the club’s second-best result in the last twenty years after Dani Güiza’s record. For the visitors, the greatest threat was Hugo Duro, who has scored nine times.
Mallorca’s coaching staff, led by Demichelis, continues to impress: the Argentine has collected 10 points out of a possible 15 in his first five matches, a record surpassed only by Héctor Cúper in 1997. Demichelis put his faith in Asano in attack, leaving Virgili on the bench, while Mascarell played at the center of defense alongside Valjent. Pablo Torre was assigned the playmaker role, operating near the penalty area.
Valencia: personnel shortages and tactical changes
Valencia arrived at Son Moix with serious defensive problems: Corberán was forced to use Pepelu in the center of defense alongside César Tárrega. Diego López also started, making his first league start since January. In midfield, Guido Rodríguez took on the defensive midfielder role, partnered by Ugrinic. Up front, the emphasis was on the speed of Ramazani, Beltrán and Sadiq to push Muriqi away from Dimitrievski’s goal.
The visitors lined up as follows: Dimitrievski; Thierry, Pepelu, Tárrega, Gayà; Guido Rodríguez, Ugrinic, Diego López, Ramazani; Sadiq, Beltrán. Corberán was counting on aggressive pressing and quick transitions to attack to compensate for defensive losses.
Stats and individual achievements
Special attention was drawn to Luis Rioja: only Álex Berenguer from Athletic made more crosses into the box (172) than the Valencia player (132, the same as Sergio Gómez from Real Sociedad). For Mallorca, Son Moix remains a fortress where Muriqi continues to chase Güiza’s season scoring record.
Before the match, both teams were just outside the relegation zone, and any dropped points could have been critical. As russpain.com notes, such encounters at the end of the season often determine the future of clubs in the top flight.
Context and significance of the match
Interest in the match increased not only due to the standings, but also because of coaching changes. Demichelis, having lost just one game since his appointment, aimed to surpass Cúper’s initial record. Corberán, on the other hand, was under pressure from fans and was forced to experiment with the lineup due to the absence of key defenders.
The importance of squad decisions and individual player achievements highlights just how unpredictable the relegation battle in LaLiga remains. Similar situations have already led to dramatic outcomes, as seen in other matches this season, for example, when Real Madrid confidently started the UEFA Youth League final against Brugge — read more about it in the article about Madrid’s domination in the first half of the final.
