Mallorca vs Athletic Bilbao
Mallorca
Athletic Bilbao
vs
Sunday 3rd January 2010
Venue: ONO Estadi
Kick-off: 18:00
Score: 2 - 0
Bilbao are a real danger - Manzano
Real Mallorca coach Gregorio Manzano believes Athletic Bilbao could pose a serious threat to his side`s 100% home record on Sunday, describing the Basque outfit as "tough, difficult and very combative".
Mallorca are one of just three clubs, the others being runaway duo Barcelona and Real Madrid, who have perfect records in front of their own fans this season, having won all seven Primera Division matches whilst scoring 20 goals and conceding just three.
That has left Mallorca in fifth place in the standings on 27 points, two adrift of Valencia and the Champions League spots, and a massive 15 points above the relegation zone.
However, the Balearic Island side have enjoyed a favourable fixture list up to this point, as of the teams they have faced so far at home, five of them currently occupy places in the bottom seven.
Things are about to get much harder for Manzano`s men, as their next eight home games come against Athletic, Deportivo La Coruna, Villarreal, Sevilla, Sporting Gijon, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia - all of whom occupy places in the top 10 aside from stuttering giants Atletico.
First up are in-form Athletic, who have taken 16 points from a possible 21 in their last seven games to climb up to seventh spot.
A wary Manzano admitted: "This is one of the most complicated games in the first half of the season. Athletic are a tough, difficult and very combative opponent.
"Athletic are going through a good moment in terms of results. We need to remember they haven`t lost away from home since October.
"That suggests they are a formidable side and we need to be alert for the whole 90 minutes so they don`t surprise us. They are making the most of their opportunities, defending very well and having a great season."
With that in mind, Manzano has urged his side`s supporters to turn out in force for tomorrow`s match, where a defeat would see Athletic leap-frog Mallorca in the standings.
"I hope that the fans are behind the team. We are playing for three very important points, which would help us to aspire to something even better in the immediate future," added the experienced coach, whose side became only the second team to lose to Malaga this season after going down 2-1 to the Andalusian outfit in their final match of 2009.
The immediate future is also something that is keeping Athletic coach Joaquin Caparros` mind occupied.
Athletic are just three points off the Champions League places but they face a tricky run of fixtures in January with four of their five games coming away from home, and the other match seeing them host Real Madrid at San Mames.
"We have a key month which could reveal a lot due to the amount of away games we have," said Caparros.
"We are going to try and take our first step forward against Mallorca and we will try to continue on the same line as before."
Caparros has Markel Susaeta available but Gaizka Toquero is suspended, while Aitor Ocio remains sidelined after having had an operation earlier in the season.
Manzano, meanwhile, is without central defenders Ivan Ramis (injured) and Jose Carlos Nunes (suspended).
