Alaves vs Mallorca: High-Stakes Relegation Battle in La Liga

Estadio Mendizorrotza stages a high‑stakes relegation battle in La Liga on 25 April 2026 as 18th‑placed Alaves host Mallorca, who sit 14th. Just two points separate the sides – Alaves on 33, Mallorca on 35 – and with the league season already into Round 32, this feels like a six‑pointer in the race to stay up rather than a mid‑table meeting.

Context and stakes

In the league, Alaves are in the relegation zone, 18th with a goal difference of -12 (36 scored, 48 conceded across all phases). Their form line of LDDWD underlines a side that draws plenty but struggles to string wins together. At home, though, they have been relatively resilient: 5 wins, 6 draws and only 4 defeats from 15 league matches, with 19 goals scored and 18 conceded.

Mallorca arrive with a slight cushion in 14th, but their margin for error is slim. They have 35 points, a goal difference of -9 (40 for, 49 against across all phases) and a form pattern of DWWLW that suggests a team capable of bursts of momentum. Crucially, they are a very different proposition at home and away. While they have 8 wins from 17 at Estadi Mallorca Son Moix, their away record is dismal: 1 win, 3 draws and 11 defeats from 15 away league matches, with just 13 goals scored and 29 conceded.

For Alaves, this is about dragging Mallorca back into the survival scrap and potentially climbing out of the bottom three. For Mallorca, it is a chance to open up a decisive gap and all but secure another year in the top flight.

Tactical outlook: Alaves

Across all phases this season, Alaves have averaged 1.1 goals for and 1.5 against per game, but those numbers are kinder at home (1.3 scored, 1.2 conceded). Their season statistics point to a side built on structure and hard work rather than attacking flair.

The most common formation has been 4‑4‑2 (used 16 times), with 4‑1‑4‑1 and 4‑2‑3‑1 as the main alternatives. That suggests a flexible but fairly conservative framework: two banks of four, with either a second striker or an extra midfielder depending on game state.

In attack, Lucas Boyé and Toni Martínez are central to any survival bid:

• Lucas Boyé has 11 league goals and 1 assist in 26 appearances. He is a high‑volume duelist (373 duels, 138 won), strong in the press and effective with back to goal, and he has drawn 36 fouls – a valuable outlet in a team that often needs set‑pieces and restarts to relieve pressure. His penalty record this season is clean (3 scored, 0 missed), making him a reliable option from the spot.
• Toni Martínez has 9 goals and 3 assists in 31 appearances, with 67 shots and 29 on target. He is heavily involved in build‑up (549 passes, 21 key passes) and duels (418, with 215 won), offering both a goal threat and a focal point for transitions.

Given Alaves’ relatively modest total of 36 goals, the combined 20 league goals from Boyé and Martínez are enormous in context. Expect them to operate as a front two in a 4‑4‑2 or as the spearhead in a 4‑2‑3‑1, with one dropping between the lines to link play.

Defensively, Alaves are not watertight but they are competitive at home: only 18 goals conceded in 15 matches at Mendizorrotza, and 3 home clean sheets across all phases. Their biggest home defeat has been 0‑2, which underlines that they rarely collapse in front of their own fans. The card data shows a spike in yellow cards late in games (76‑90 and 91‑105), hinting at a team that often has to hang on under pressure.

Tactical outlook: Mallorca

Mallorca’s season profile is almost the mirror image: stronger at home, vulnerable away. Across all phases, they average 1.3 goals for and 1.5 against per match, but away from home the picture worsens to 0.9 scored and 1.9 conceded.

The preferred shape is a 4‑2‑3‑1 (19 uses), with occasional switches to 5‑3‑2 or 4‑3‑1‑2. That base system is designed to give them solidity in the double pivot while still supporting their standout forward, Vedat Muriqi.

Vedat Muriqi has been one of La Liga’s most productive strikers this season:

• 21 goals and 1 assist in 31 appearances.
• 79 shots, 42 on target – a high volume and decent accuracy.
• Heavy involvement in physical duels (382, with 200 won) and fouls drawn (56), reflecting his role as a classic target man who can pin centre‑backs and bring others into play.
• From the spot he has 5 penalties scored and 2 missed this season, so while he is prolific, his penalty record is not flawless.

Mallorca’s away struggles are not about lacking a focal point; they are about defensive fragility and a tendency to lose control in key moments. They have conceded 29 goals in 15 away league games, and have managed only 1 away clean sheet across all phases. Their biggest away defeat has been 3‑0, and they have failed to score in 6 of 15 away matches – a worrying ratio.

The card profile suggests a combative side, with yellow cards spread across the full 90 minutes and a notable number of reds around the end of the first half and in the final stages. Discipline and game management could be a theme, especially in a high‑pressure relegation‑tinged fixture.

Head‑to‑head narrative

The recent competitive head‑to‑head between these sides is finely balanced but with a slight edge to Alaves.

The last five La Liga meetings:

1. September 2025, Estadi Mallorca Son Moix: Mallorca 1‑0 Alaves
2. March 2025, Estadi Mallorca Son Moix: Mallorca 1‑1 Alaves
3. November 2024, Estadio de Mendizorroza: Alaves 1‑0 Mallorca
4. February 2024, Estadio de Mendizorroza: Alaves 1‑1 Mallorca
5. December 2023, Estadi Mallorca Son Moix: Mallorca 0‑0 Alaves

Across these five competitive fixtures:

• Mallorca wins: 1
• Alaves wins: 1
• Draws: 3

The pattern is clear: tight, low‑margin games, with neither side scoring more than once in any of those meetings. Alaves have not lost to Mallorca at Mendizorroza in this run (1 win, 2 draws), while Mallorca have kept Alaves to a single goal or fewer in every match. It is a rivalry defined by fine details rather than open attacking football.

Key match‑ups

• Alaves centre‑backs vs Vedat Muriqi: If Mallorca are to overcome their away woes, Muriqi must dominate aerially and in duels. Alaves’ defensive line will need to limit his touches in the box and avoid giving away cheap set‑pieces where his presence is most dangerous.
• Lucas Boyé / Toni Martínez vs Mallorca’s away back line: Mallorca concede 1.9 goals per game away. The movement and physicality of Boyé and Martínez can exploit that, particularly if Alaves can draw Mallorca’s full‑backs high and attack the channels.
• Set‑pieces and penalties: Both teams have 100% team penalty conversion this season (Alaves 6/6, Mallorca 5/5), but individual records differ. Boyé is perfect from the spot this season, while Muriqi has missed two. In a game likely to be decided by small margins, a single spot‑kick could tilt everything.

The verdict

Data and context point towards a cagey, attritional contest. Alaves are stronger at home, Mallorca are significantly weaker away, and the recent head‑to‑head history between these clubs is dominated by draws and one‑goal games.

Alaves’ need is greater, and their home solidity combined with Mallorca’s away frailties suggests the hosts have a slight edge. However, Muriqi’s individual quality and Mallorca’s marginally better overall form keep the visitors very much in the argument.

A low‑scoring draw or a narrow home win fits both the numbers and the narrative. If either Boyé/Martínez or Muriqi finds a decisive moment, it could define not just the match, but the shape of the relegation battle in the final weeks of the season.