Matthew O'Connor
REAL Mallorca head into the last four games of the season today knowing a sixth place finish and a UEFA Cup place is well within their grasp.
With three of their remaining matches to be played at home -- starting with today's game against Sevilla -- the seventh-place Islanders will be quietly confident of overhauling sixth-place Athletic Bilbao. Mallorca have lost just once in ten matches, a run that has taken in victories over Deportivo, Barcelona and Real Madrid, and know if they can keep up their current form then they could well be playing in Europe come September. Today's opposition Sevilla are no mugs though and the Andalusians are harbouring UEFA Cup hopes of their own. This year they have outshone their more illustrious neighbours Real Betis in a season that has seen them concede the second least number of goals of any team. Their pragmatic style may have been widely criticised as boring, but it has proven highly effective with coach Joaquin Caparros taking them to ninth in the league, just three points behind Mallorca. However, defeat for Seville today would probably end their UEFA Cup hopes, making them extremely dangerous opposition.
Mallorca boss Gregorio Manzano, who has warned his side over complacency, will be without defenders Fernando Niño (injured) and Hipolito Poli Fernandez (suspended), while reserve strikers Turu Flores and Leo Biagini are also suffering from knocks. Veteran of 20 Primera Liga campaigns Miquel Soler steps in for Poli at left-back. Miguel Angel Nadal retains his place in central defence after a competent showing against Barça last weekend, while Leo Franco returns between the posts after the death of his mother last week. Perhaps the most important news for Manzano is the fact that striker Walter Pandiani has passed a late fitness test and looks set to test the stingy Sevilla defence. With 13 goals this season the Uruguayan is the team's leading scorer, although Samuel Eto'o, enjoying the form of his life, is close behind on 12. They will both need to be totally on the ball today though to break through the tough nut that is the Sevilla back four. Sevilla, for their part, welcome back talented young striker Jose Antonio Reyes who was consigned to the bench in last week's 3-3 draw with Rayo Vallecano.
MALLORCA
Leo Franco; Cortés, Lussenhoff, Nadal, Miquel Soler; Novo, Lozano, Ibagaza, Riera; Pandiani, Eto'o.
SEVILLA
Notario; Njegus, Javi Navarro, Pablo Alfaro, David; Gallardo, Casquero, Marcos Vales, Daniel Alves; Reyes, Toedtli.