Mon Oct 28 21:58:15 UTC 2024: ## Mallorca and Athletic Bilbao Set for Intriguing La Liga Clash

Mallorca and Athletic Bilbao will face off in a crucial La Liga encounter on Monday night, both teams aiming to continue their impressive starts to the season.

The home side, Mallorca, currently sits sixth in the table with 17 points after 10 matches. Under manager Jagoba Arrasate, the Pirates have showcased a strong defense, conceding only eight goals, the second-lowest in the league. Mallorca enters the game on the back of a 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano, their fourth victory in their last five matches.

Athletic Bilbao, occupying fifth place with the same points as Mallorca, has also enjoyed a positive start. The Lions boast a potent attack, scoring 17 goals, and secured a 4-1 victory over Espanyol in their previous La Liga match. They will be looking to continue their momentum after a 1-0 win against Slavia Prague in the Europa League.

Despite a 4-0 defeat to Athletic in their last meeting in February, Mallorca is expected to put up a strong fight. The Pirates will be missing Ivan Cuellar and Takuma Asano due to injury, but head coach Arrasate is likely to field a similar lineup to their victory over Rayo Vallecano.

Athletic will also be without Unai Simon, who is still recovering from a wrist injury. However, Aitor Paredes will return after serving a suspension, and Oihan Sancet is back from injury. The visitors are likely to feature Nico Williams, Inaki Williams, and Gorka Guruzeta in their attack.

With both teams performing well this season, the match is expected to be a closely fought affair. The last four La Liga encounters between the two sides have yielded three draws, and another stalemate cannot be ruled out.

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