DAMAGE LIMITATION FOR REAL MALLORCA

Matthew O'Connor REAL Mallorca end a roller-coaster league season tonight with a meaningless home match to 12th placed Malaga. Mallorca, lying in tenth, have their sights firmly on next weekend's Copa del Rey final with today's only aim being to finish the match injury-free. Coach Gregorio Manzano has decided to play his strongest team available despite next week's grand finale as a means of keeping the side gelled. Whatever the outcome against Malaga it has been a highly satisfactory season for the Islanders. Manzano can be proud of taking the side to the Copa final, but can also take satisfaction from a season that saw Mallorca lying as high as second earlier in the campaign and featured an historic 5-1 victory over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. ne player missing tonight is Samuel Eto'o currently in France playing for Cameroon in the Confederations Cup. With speculation about a move to either Valencia or Manchester United increasing by the day Mallorca fans may well have already seen the Cameroon star's last match at the Son Moix. A fantastic performance and goal in Cameroon's 1-0 victory over Brazil on Thursday night will not have increased the chances of Eto'o remaining at Son Moix. Nobody would begrudge Eto'o a move to a bigger side where his enormous talent could be appreciated by a larger audience, however it would be extremely sad to see the back of perhaps the finest player to have worn a Mallorca shirt. The 22 year-old's lightning quick pace and amazing ability to waltz past defenders will be sorely missed by the fans who worship him. Ariel Ibagaza, on the other hand, may well be making his last outing at Son Moix in a Mallorca shirt in tonight's game. The Argentine, who returns from three weeks out through injury, is tipped for a summer move to Atletico Madrid, so for anyone not going to the Copa del Rey final it may also be the last chance to see the hugely talented creative midfielder playing in Mallorca colours.