Mallorca vs Sporting de Gijon preview - Flores focused on three points

Posted Wednesday, October 26, 2011 by PA

Real Mallorca defender Jose Manuel Flores is targeting a three-point haul from their clash with Sporting Gijon after seeing his side claim creditable draws against Valencia and Atletico Madrid in their first two matches under new coach Joaquin Caparros.

Caparros replaced Michael Laudrup just before the international break and picking up points against two of La Liga big guns represents a decent start to life in the hotseat for the former Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla boss.

However, for Flores, while collecting points against the top clubs are a bonus, he feels it is matches like this which will ultimately decide Mallorca's fate this season.

He told the club's website: "Games against Valencia, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla or Real Madrid are very difficult whereas those against teams in the middle to the bottom of the table are like finals for us.

"Wednesday we have to go for the three points and we have to make sure they stay here. The team is focused on playing a good game and we have to make sure we don't let a point leave Palma."

Flores will miss the game having been shown his fifth yellow card of the season against Atleti and Caparros will also be without Jose Nunes, Gianni Zuiverloon, Pablo Caceres and Kevin Garcia from the backline, so youngsters Pau Cendros and Daniel Bigas will continue to deputise at full-back.

Sporting moved off the foot of the table with their first win of the season over Granada on Saturday but despite that victory Manuel Preciado is set to change things for the trip to Mallorca.

The Sporting coach has named the same side for three games in a row but with three matches in eight days Preciado has decided to give some of his fringe players an opportunity and Sebastian Eguren, Luis Moran, Sergio Alvarez and Mate Bilic are all expected to start.

One of those changes will be enforced as Alberto Botia had to be replaced against Granada and will not be fit to take his place at the heart of the defence.

Preciado told the club's website that he was delighted with his side's performance on Saturday but that they must continue in that vein if they are to get out of the relegation zone.

"We needed to win. We did things that delighted me, like the way we began the match. We terrified the opposition because in five minutes we had scored a goal and had three clear chances. In other games we did the same but just didn't score," he said.

"After finally winning at home we will see if we can take something away from home. We have a chance to go to Mallorca and win and we will go there with this confidence."