The second half of the season did not get off to the start that we had hoped for as we fell to a 2-0 defeat at UD Levante.
Luis García Plaza made numerous changes to the side which came from behind to beat SD Eibar 2-1 in the Copa del Rey. Academy graduates Leo Roman and Javi Llabrés were handed their first LaLiga starts, while Take Kubo returned to the starting XI.
Llabrés proved to be a handful throughout the opening exchanges as the teenager forced Aitor Fernandéz into a fine save in the fourth minute.
Both sides struggled to create in the final third as the game remained locked in midfield with rapid turnovers of possession.
An early opportunity proved to be the closest either side would come to breaking the deadlock throughout the first half as we headed into the break goalless.
The second half would read from the same script as the opening 45 minutes as Roberto Soldado gave the hosts the lead two minutes after the restart with a composed finish having latched onto an Enis Bardhi’s through ball.
The hosts continued to look dangerous and almost had a second two minutes later when Roger crashed a header against the post.
We were denied a way back into the game when Fer Niño was tripped in the box by a clumsy challenge from Rober, although Fernandez got down well to deny Brian Oliván’s resulting penalty in the 68th minute.
We thought we had a late equaliser with nine minutes left on the clock, although Fer Niño’s supposed leveller was ruled out for an earlier handball in the build-up to the goal.
José Morales put a comeback beyond our reach with Levante UD’s second of the game in injury time.
Levante UD: Aitor Fernández, Miramón, Vezo, Óscar Duarte (70'), Rober, Franquesa, Pepelu, Campaña (70'), Bardhi, Soldado (58'), Roger
Substitutes: Cárdenas, Coke, Son, Pubill, Sergio Postigo (70'), Malsa, Blesa, Radoja, Melero (70'), Morales (58'), Cantero, Dani Gómez
RCD Mallorca: Leo Román, Pablo Maffeo (57'), Russo, Sedlar, Jaume Costa, Battaglia (74'), Ruiz de Galarreta (90'), Take, Javi Llabrés (74'), Antonio Sánchez (57'), Fer Niño
Substitutes: Manolo Reina, Quetglas, B. Oliván (57'), Joan Sastre, Gayà, Valjent, Giaquinto, Salva Sevilla (74'), Hoppe (74'), Amath (57'), Mboula, Abdón (90')
Goals: Roberto Soldado, 1-0 (47'); Morales, 2-0 (90')
