RCD Mallorca face a decisive fixture at Butarque this Saturday at 16:15, needing a win to stay in the race for direct promotion. The Balearic side arrives after an irregular start to the Segunda División season, sitting seventh with 18 points, five behind the second automatic promotion spot.
A defence forced to change
The most immediate absence is right-back John Donald, sent off in the final minute of the draw against Eibar. Manager Luis García has confirmed that Miguel Calatayud will take his place in the starting eleven. The injury list extends to six players: Josep Cerdà, Jan Salas, Arnau Puigmal, Antoniu Roca, Manu Morlanes and Dani Luna. These absences force the coach to improvise solutions at a time when the team has managed only one win in its last four matches. "I have always fully trusted the referees, but today's is very hard for me to swallow," García stated after the controversial finish in Ipurua, where a 94th-minute penalty cost them all three points.
The return of a familiar face
The opposition, Leganés, has its own mix of emergencies. The club dismissed Rubén Albés after four consecutive defeats without scoring and has placed Luis Carrión in charge. The new manager will also be without the injured Miguel Atienza and the suspended Álvaro Morata. The match will feature a special protagonist: Dani Rodríguez. The midfielder, who wore the vermilion shirt in 282 matches scoring 32 goals, now defends the colours of Leganés. It was he who scored the only goal in the last meeting at Butarque back in August 2024. His departure from the island club was marked by controversy, having stated: "You have realised it wasn't my problem, but everyone's."
The season's context
The league table adds pressure to the match. Mallorca, with a record of five wins, three draws and two defeats, has scored 12 goals and conceded only five. Their forward Adrián Fuentes is the top scorer with six goals. However, the team urgently needs its second away win to cut the six-point gap to leaders Almería. A look at the recent results shows the inconsistency: a win against Las Palmas (3-1), draws against Girona and Eibar, and a defeat to Almería.
Leganés, for its part, is fighting to stay away from the relegation zone, sitting just three points above the drop. The match therefore shapes up as a clash of extreme needs. Luis García's lineup will aim to capitalise on the defensive solidity shown for most of the campaign while trying to find more cutting edge in attack. The game kicks off at Butarque on Saturday 24 October.
This story first appeared at diariodemallorca.es
