Valladolid vs Mallorca preview - Djukic ready to play waiting game

Posted Saturday, January 12, 2013 by PA

Valladolid coach Miroslav Djukic says patience will be vital as his side aim to end their slump against improving Mallorca.

A run of just one point from the last four games has seen Valladolid slip into the bottom half of the table while their opponents went into the winter break on the back of a win at Real Betis before resuming with an impressive draw against Atletico Madrid.

Djukic is particularly wary of the visitors soaking up pressure from his side and counter-attacking with speed and conviction.

He told AS: "It would be good to end the first half of the season with 25 points (with a win), but we know that it will be a very difficult game because Mallorca are doing well and have gone three games without a defeat.

"They are a team that closes down very well and then break very quickly on the counter-attack. We need to be very attentive and have a lot of patience on the ball."

Mallorca kept their mini-revival going with a 2-1 win over Sevilla in midweek, although they were still eliminated from the Copa del Rey having lost the first-leg 5-0.

One of their goalscorers on the night, Alejandro Alfaro, is hoping they can continue their recent form after the horrible 14-game winless run that preceded it.

"After the bad run we have gone through for three months, it seems like the team has started again," he said. "We're undefeated in three games and now we have to continue with this ascending dynamic.

"The important thing is to win. We now have two important games against two teams lower down in the table and we want to close the first half of the season by taking points against Valladolid."

Victor Casadesus returns from suspension for Joaquin Caparros' side but Antonio Lopez and Joao Victor are still sidelined by injury.

Djukic's task will be greatly helped though by the return of Oscar Gonzalez from suspension and Patrick Ebert from a hamstring injury that has kept him out for the past month.

Victor Perez and Jesus Rueda though are both still sidelined by injury and suspension respectively and Manucho remains away on international duty with Angola.