Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 339 Thu. May 12, 2005  
   
Sports


Mallorca's stake


Real Mallorca have made a formal request for Real Madrid and Barcelona to play their league matches at the same time on Saturday so as not to prejudice 18th-placed Mallorca's chances of Primera Liga survival.

Mallorca are worried that if second-placed Real lose in Sevilla (kickoff 1800 GMT), Barcelona will ease up against 17th-placed Levante (kickoff 2000 GMT) as they will already be champions.

A statement on the club's website said they had appealed to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and the Football League Association (LFP) for the games to kick off simultaneously, or for their own game against Athletic Bilbao to be brought forward from Sunday.

Barca lead the table by six points with three games left and can clinch the title by matching Real's result on Saturday, as they hold the advantage in the clubs' head-to-head encounters.

Levante, 17th with 35 points, could be sucked into the relegation places. They sacked coach Bernd Schuster just over a week ago and have lost six of their last seven games.

Hector Cuper's Mallorca are 18th with 32 points, Albacete are 19th with 27, while basement club Numancia were relegated last weekend.