Real Madrid vs Mallorca Review
Real Madrid scored a last-minute goal to defeat Mallorca 2-1, keeping their slim chances of retaining the La Liga title alive. However, if Barcelona wins on Thursday night, it will end Los Blancos’ title defense. Early on in the game, Endrick’s one-on-one shot was saved by Leo Román just three minutes into the match. However, the home team was quickly taken by surprise when Dani Ceballos failed to intercept a pass from Mateu Morey, allowing defender Martin Valjent to find space at the edge of the area and score into the far corner.
Real’s chances of winning the title were already looking bleak after their defeat in last weekend’s Clásico, and failing to respond in this match would be a disappointing way to exit. Jude Bellingham made a strong effort to turn things around, with his powerful shot being tipped wide by Román, followed by Luka Modrić’s curling attempt meeting the same fate. Mallorca’s goalkeeper ended the first half with five saves, aiming to match his La Liga season-record of 12 stops from his previous game against Barcelona.
Jagoba Arrasate was enjoying a successful 500th senior managerial appearance, but he knew his team would face a tough challenge in maintaining their lead. Modrić narrowly missed with a shot, but Ancelotti’s team had to wait until the 68th minute to equalize. Modrić passed to Kylian Mbappé, who skillfully maneuvered between two defenders and scored inside the near post. Despite conceding a goal, Román’s save tally continued to rise, and Mbappé’s next attempt was cleared off the line by Valjent.
Gonzalo García was unable to convert Fran García’s cross into a goal with only moments remaining, but Madrid had one final opportunity. After their 26th corner of the match, Jesús Vallejo redirected the ball to Jacobo Ramón, who managed to score past Román, keeping his team’s title aspirations alive. Although Los Blancos made a determined comeback that narrowed the gap to four points from the top, a victory for Barcelona against Espanyol today would secure the title for them. Meanwhile, Mallorca will be closely watching Rayo Vallecano’s game, as the Franjirrojos appear to be the most likely team to prevent them from achieving their first European qualification in 22 years.
