Real Mallorca 4 - Sevilla 1
Vedat Muriqi continued his red-hot goalscoring form to help Real Mallorca beat Sevilla 4-1 and for the first time register their first back-to-back home wins since October 2024.
Mallorca kicked off on this windy night in the relegation zone and a strong start was required to settle the 15,621 crowd’s jangled nerves. The star of Monday night’s win was youngster Jan Virgili who had his best game on the left wing since coming from Barcelona in the summer, and he was a constant thorn in the side of Sevilla’s defence.
As early as the fifth minute his shot from the edge of the area almost put Mallorca ahead but the visiting goalkeeper made a superb save. Then he went on one of his dribbling runs when he led the visiting defence a merry dance, cutting inside the penalty box. A trailing leg from Sevilla’s defender Carmona saw Virgili take a tumble. It looked like a stonewall penalty but the referee waved play on, much to the annoyance of the home crowd. Then VAR got involved. The penalty was given and Muriqi netted his ninth goal in eight games as he sent Sevilla’s Greek goalkeeper Odysseas the wrong way.
After that Mallorca did what they usually do when they go a goal up early, sit back and defend. Our goal had a few narrow escapes until just before half time when Virgili and Mascarell got in a calamitous mix-up and Sevilla’s debutante Maupay took full advantage to equalise from distance with a beauty.
Mallorca came back strongly after the break and Virgili embarked on one of his slalom runs leaving several Sevilla defenders in his wake. His cross to the far post was volleyed home by Samu Costa, 2-1. In the 73rd minute a fizzing strike by Muriqi hit Sergi Darder on its way into the net as Mallorca made it 3-1. With time running out, substitute Mateu Joseph broke down the right flank before passing to his fellow Cantabrian Pablo Torre, and after a series of rebounds his shot found the back of the Sevilla net, 4-1, sending the Mallorca fans into raptures.
Mallorca have now gone eight matches in a row without a clean sheet but we are at last creeping up the table. Sevilla won more possession but were a poor side. It’s such a pity Mallorca can’t play them every week! Next up Barcelona in the Camp Nou on Saturday at 4:15 in what looks like another damage-limitation game for Real Mallorca, who after Monday night’s win have risen to 14th place on 24 points alongside Elche and Sevilla.
PS: Mallorca have signed a Congolese international striker called Zito Luvumbo from Italian side Cagliari on loan with an option to buy. I choose the word “striker” carefully as unfortunately he hasn’t been doing much of that this season with no goals and no assists. The Italian side are doing to us what we’re doing to Southampton by giving them our misfiring striker Cyle Larin. More on that in Friday’s Fan’s View.