Valencia vs Mallorca Preview, Team News, Starting XI & Prediction

Valencia vs Mallorca at Mestalla on Friday, December 19, 2025, for a crucial La Liga relegation battle in mid-season objectives. Both 2025-26 La Liga teams head into Matchday 17 eager to pull away from the drop zone, with Valencia hoping to make the most of their steady home form against a Mallorca side that has been struggling badly away from home.

Valencia have had mixed results and need consistency at home, while Mallorca are dangerous on the break and can cause problems away from home.

Expect a tactical match where set pieces and transitions could decide the result.

2025-26 La Liga: Valencia vs Mallorca Match Date, Time, Venue

Vedat Muriqi RCD Mallorca Soccer Player - La Liga

Competition: La Liga 2025–26 (Matchday 17)
Match: Valencia vs Mallorca
Match Date: Friday, December 19, 2025
Kickoff Time:
- Spain: 9:00 PM CET
- UK: 8:00 PM GMT
- USA (East): 3:00 PM ET
- USA (West): 12:00 PM PT

Venue: Mestalla Stadium, Valencia, Spain
Recent Form (Last 5 Matches – All Comps):
- Valencia: W–L–D–L–W (2 Wins, 1 Draw, 2 Losses)
- Mallorca: L–W–L–L–L (1 Win, 0 Draws, 4 Losses)

Team Form & Recent Performance

Valencia CF currently sits 17th in La Liga with 15 points from 16 matches, hovering dangerously close to the relegation places. Manager Rubén Baraja continues to navigate a turbulent season marked by inconsistency. However, Valencia found some respite in the Copa del Rey midweek, defeating Sporting Gijón 2-0 on December 16, which ended a worrying winless streak.

In the league, their last outing was a 2-1 defeat to Atlético Madrid at the Metropolitano, a respectable performance against elite opposition but one that yielded no points. Before that, draws against Sevilla (1-1) and Rayo Vallecano (1-1) highlighted their struggle to convert tight games into victories.

At Mestalla, Valencia have been more resilient, earning the majority of their points (12 of 15) at home. Hugo Duro remains their primary goal threat with 6 goals in all competitions this season.

RCD Mallorca occupy 14th place with 17 points, just two points ahead of their hosts. Jagoba Arrasate’s side has been dreadful away from home, losing 6 of 8 away matches this season.

Their recent form is concerning, with four losses in their last five competitive games, including a disheartening 0-1 Copa del Rey exit to Deportivo La Coruña midweek.

Their sole recent bright spot was a 3-1 home victory over Elche, where they dominated possession and chances. Vedat Muriqi is the undisputed talisman, having scored 9 league goals—the third-highest tally in La Liga this season—making him the singular threat Valencia must neutralize.

Critical Tactical Contrast: Valencia’s solid but unspectacular home form (0.94 goals/game at Mestalla) meets Mallorca’s porous away defense. Expect a tight, nervy affair where neither side will want to risk defeat.

Head-to-Head Record Valencia vs Mallorca

Recent history suggests a balanced but low-scoring rivalry. In the 2024-25 season, the teams exchanged home victories: Mallorca won 2-1 at Son Moix, while Valencia won 1-0 at Mestalla in March 2025.

Historically, Mallorca has struggled at Mestalla, securing only 11 wins in their last 38 games.

Matches	Valencia Wins	Mallorca Wins	Draws
38 (since 2003)	17	11	10

Last 5 Meetings:

30 Mar 2025: Valencia 1-0 Mallorca (La Liga)
30 Nov 2024: Mallorca 2-1 Valencia (La Liga)
Historical Trend: Valencia unbeaten in 14 of last 15 home H2H matches.

Team News & Injuries

Valencia CF:

No confirmed long-term absences for this match, but Mouctar Diakhaby remains a doubt as he continues to recover from a hamstring issue. Luis Rioja returned from illness in the Copa del Rey and César Tarrega is available after suspension. Coach may tweak the backline for stability.

Mouctar Diakhaby: Ruled out with a long-term knee injury.
Stole Dimitrievski: Doubtful due to fitness issues, meaning Giorgi Mamardashvili remains the undisputed starter in goal.
Hugo Duro: Fit and expected to lead the line after scoring in Copa del Rey action.

RCD Mallorca:

Mallorca have a mostly fit squad for this trip. Probable starters include experienced defenders Pablo Maffeo and Martin Valjent; Pablo Torre and Vedat Muriqi are key in attack and creative transitions. Monitor the Mallorca official report near kickoff for any late changes.

Omar Mascarell: Unavailable due to international duty/suspension carryover considerations.
Dani Rodríguez: Out for personal reasons, a significant blow to their midfield creativity.
Samu Costa: Doubtful with a lingering knee issue that has plagued him recently.
Vedat Muriqi: Fully fit and expected to start as the lone striker.

Valencia vs Mallorca Predicted Starting XI Lineups

Hugo Duro - Spain National Team and Striker for La Liga club Valencia

Valencia Predicted XI (4-4-2): Julen Agirrezabala (GK); Dimitri Foulquier, Eray Cóemert, José Copete; Thierry Correia, Pepelu, André Almeida, Jesús Vázquez, Filip Ugrinic; Hugo Duro, Diego López

Mallorca Predicted XI (5-4-1): Leo Román(GK); Pablo Maffeo, Martin Valjent, Antonio Raíllo, Johan Mojica; Samu, Sergi Darder; Pablo Torre (AM); Jan Virgilí (wing), Mateo Joseph (wing), Vedat Muriqi (ST).

Key Players

Valencia — Hugo Duro: Hard working striker who’s good at finishing from inside the box and on set-piece scraps.
Valencia — Jesús Vázquez / Pepelu: Midfield balance and defensive cover; Pepelu’s passing and interceptions matter in transition.
Mallorca — Vedat Muriqi: Strong target man, aerial threat on set pieces and focal point for Mallorca’s attacks.
Mallorca — Pablo Torre: Creative midfielder who can unlock space and link play from deep.

Match Prediction

This looks like a close, low-margin LaLiga game. Valencia must be sharper defensively at Mestalla and convert the chances they create; Mallorca will try to stay compact and hit on transitions.

Given Valencia’s inconsistent home form and Mallorca’s ability to frustrate stronger teams, a draw is a realistic outcome — but both sides can sneak a win on the day.