Old rivals first up at home for Mallorca

Real Mallorca rarely get to play a derby against Atlético Baleares.

As the chances of Atlético ever getting into the top flight of La Liga are slim (to say the least), Mallorca will hope the derby remains rare, as it would otherwise require their relegation. In the absence of this rivalry, another is needed. Villarreal provide it, the legacy of what happened at the end of the 2009-10 season, when Mallorca were in a Europa League spot but were expelled by UEFA because the club had filed for voluntary bankruptcy. The beneficiaries were Villarreal.

To this day, Mallorca fans remain convinced that UEFA only acted as they did because Villarreal got them to. So, this enmity will doubtless be evident when Villarreal provide the opposition for the first home match of the new season. The Yellow Submarine, so named because the fans started singing The Beatles song, qualified for the Europa League with no controversy last season. Mallorca finished ninth. It could be a cracker of a game.