Manolo Reina, back in goal for Mallorca, and Anthony Martial, on loan to Seville. | Efe

TW
0

Sevilla 0 - Real Mallorca 0

With three matches remaining, Mallorca, in the relegation zone in eighteenth place, were away to Sevilla, third in LaLiga Santander and still needing to confirm a Champions League spot.

Granada, who thrashed Mallorca 6-2 at the Son Moix Stadium at the weekend, beat Athletic Club (Bilbao) 1-0 on Tuesday to put them five points ahead of Mallorca in sixteenth place. Cadiz, seventeenth with 35 points (three more than Mallorca), play Real Sociedad away on Thursday. Eyes were therefore on Alavés (bottom with 28) at home to Espanyol and Getafe (15th on 37) away to Osasuna. Levante, 19th with 29, are away to Real Madrid on Thursday.

Manolo Reina was back in goal for Mallorca and was soon giving his defenders stick for leaving Seville striker Rafa Mir unmarked. Creative midfielder Salva Sevilla had an unusual role - clearing off the line from Mir, as the home side started brightly.

Midway through the first half came the news that Alavés had beaten Espanyol 2-1 and Getafe had drawn 1-1 with Osasuna.

Despite having some 75% of possession, Seville made little impression against the Mallorca defence after the initial burst. Mallorca, meanwhile, had caused Yassine Bounou (Bono) in the Seville goal few alarms, as the teams went in nil-nil at half-time.

The yellow cards were being brandished in the second half, as Seville and the home fans became increasingly frustrated at being unable to break down the Mallorca defence. Youssef En-Nesyri on 84 minutes for Seville and Pablo Maffeo into added time for Mallorca were rare goal-scoring opportunities.

Reina saved from En-Nesyri, and that was it, a point for Mallorca that could prove decisive in their bid to stay up. The final two matches are at home to Rayo Vallecano (this coming Sunday) and away to Osasuna on May 22. Neither Rayo nor Osasuna have anything much to play for; Mallorca do.

Sevilla: Bono; Navas (Ocampos 67), Koundé, Carlos, Acuña; Jordán (Delaney 55), Gudelj (Rakitic 79), Gómez; Lamela (Martial 67), Mir (En-Nesyri 55), Corona

Mallorca: Reina; Maffeo (González 90+), Valjent, Raíllo, Oliván; Sánchez (Grenier 86), Sevilla (D. Rodríguez 74), Battaglia, Costa (Russo 86); Á. Rodríguez (Kubo 74), Muriqi