Mallorca managed to defend like a wall

May 11, 2022

Sevilla and Mallorca, who were pitted against Mexicans Jess ‘Tecatito’ Corona and Javier Aguirre, drew 0-0 at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, leaving neither side satisfied.

Tecatito was hoping for a win that would mathematically cement their qualifying for the

Champions League, which they are now one point away from.

Those of Aguirre, on the other hand, required all three to avoid relegation,

at least temporarily.

Both sides will be forced to play it in the final two days due to Lopetegui’s team’s lack of

ideas, which has reached the closing stretch of the season with very little fuel, and Javier

Aguirre’s team’s troubles seeing the door, which has Muriqi as their only attacking weapon.

Regardless of what Betis achieves, a draw will suffice for Sevilla. It will be more tough for

Mallorca, which is two, three, or five points away from relegation. Although the point could

be crucial in his struggle to stay in the First Division in the long run.

The intended start script

The two sides’ strategy was obvious from the start. With their customary bombardment of

lateral centers, Lopetegui’s players attempted to dominate the game, seal Mallorca in their

area, and look for the goal. When Aguirre’s team succeeded to grab a ball in midfield, they

defended quite near to their goal, accumulating several players behind the ball to block

holes and attempting to go on the counterattack.

The Nervionenses’ repetitious football, aiming for balls into the area from the sides, ran into

a Mallorca defense that was gradually becoming more comfortable. The first great

opportunity for Aguirre’s men arrived, with several whistles in the stands due to a lack of

movement and ideas. Muriqi intercepted the ball in midfield, went uncontested and set up

Battaglia, whose shot from the edge of the box was cleared by Bono.

Mallorca vs Sevilla: Carousel of fouls and cards after the break

Things did not change much after passing past the changing rooms. Vasco Aguirre’s side

tried everything they could to secure their goal and extend the game, hoping to land the

fatal blow in the closing stretch. Sevilla, although increasing its pressure and deploying

more men in the box, was unable to produce clean shooting opportunities to break the

deadlock.

From the sidelines, Lopetegui couldn’t see it clearly, so he quickly moved the bench, bringing on En-Nesyri and Delaney. It wasn’t for nothing: his team’s first chance between the three sticks in the second half came at 57′, and it was a long-range free kick from Diego Carlos that Reina stopped excellently after a rebound. The anxieties began to reach the stands because there was no movement.

Even more so after Vedat Muriqi managed to finish off with a header after winning the place of the entire Nervionense defense in a throw-in by Brian Oliván, forcing Bono to shoot reflexes to avoid the 0-1. A very evident occasion to which the Sevilla bench responded with more substitutions that enhanced the Nervionenses’ intensity and verticality, but not their shot success.