Mallorca 0 - Villarreal 1

Mallorca: Miki; Olaizola, Fernando Niño, Nadal, Miguel Soler; Novo (Carlos 46'), Marcos, Engonga (Biagini 70'), Cristian Díaz (Paunovic 60'); Eto'o, Luque. 4-4-2.
Villarreal: López Vallejo; Xavi Roca, Unai, Quique Alvarez, Arruabarrena; Jorge López (Xavi Gracia 88'), Amor, Galca; Víctor (Calleja 75'); Guayre (Craioveanu 63'), Palermo. 4-3-1-2.

Team changes: Mallorca: Miki, Engonga, Luque for Leo Franco, Paco Soler, Paunovic / Villarreal: Guayre for Quique Martín.

Goals:
0-1. 13. Palermo. Header on far post after Jorge López cross ballooned up.

Villarreal rose to second place, their highest ever in the league, after defeating a struggling Mallorca with a single Palermo goal. It was the second game in a row that the Argentine striker had given them victory, and for a brief period of 53 minutes (until Betis scored) they were in fact leading the table. Palermo's goal came on the quarter hour mark after Miki failed to clear a Jorge López cross from the right wing, and Amor and Gracia could have extended the lead in the second half with shots against the woodwork.

Mallorca's have been on poor form recently, especially after playing Champions League games midweek, and they made it harder for themselves playing all the second half with ten men after Eto'o got himself sent off for insulting a linesman. Marcos could have levelled things after the break, but the visitors had several chances to increase their advantage, Miki making up for his earlier mistake with a string of saves. But even with three attacking substitutes on the park they could not make an impression, and the Balearic side drop in to the relegation zone on goal average having yet to win a game at home.