Real Madrid extended their unbeaten run to 28 matches across all competitions but were unable to start the 2024/25 LaLiga season with a win, drawing 1-1 against RCD Mallorca at the Estadi Mallorca San Moix.....CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
Madrid, fresh off their UEFA Super Cup victory where they secured a second-half comeback against Atalanta BC with Kylian Mbappé scoring his first goal for the club, were looking to get their LaLiga title defense off to a strong start. Mbappé was included in Carlo Ancelotti’s lineup as Madrid sought to build on their impressive form.
Mallorca, last season’s Copa del Rey finalists, made an assertive start. Samú Costa was a constant threat, initially pulling a shot wide before forcing a strong save from Thibaut Courtois.
Despite Mallorca’s early pressure, it was Madrid who took the lead before the 15-minute mark. Vinícius Júnior provided a clever backheel pass to Rodrygo, who produced a superb curling shot to beat Dominik Greif and open the scoring.
Madrid looked to build on their advantage, with Mbappé’s effort hitting the side netting midway through the first half. However, a mistake by Courtois nearly allowed Mallorca to equalize just before halftime. Takuma Asano’s cross-cum-shot was parried by Courtois into the path of Vedat Muriqi, but the Belgian keeper reacted quickly to deny the rebound.
Mallorca came out strongly after the break and equalized shortly after the restart. Dani Rodríguez’s corner was met by Muriqi, who headed the ball past Courtois to restore parity. Mallorca continued to use Muriqi’s aerial prowess, with the Kosovo international forcing another save from Courtois a few minutes later.
Mbappé, who had been quiet in the opening hour, started to find his rhythm and tested Greif with a low drive from distance, which was well-saved. Greif continued to frustrate Madrid, denying another attempt from Mbappé and a long-range shot from Luka Modrić. Madrid struggled to create clear-cut chances, and Antonio Sánchez missed two crucial opportunities for Mallorca in the closing stages.
The match ended with a late red card for Ferland Mendy, who was dismissed for a foul on Muriqi. While Mallorca will be pleased with the draw, Real Madrid will view it as a missed opportunity. Ancelotti will hope this result is a minor blip, while Jagoba Arrasate, in his debut as Mallorca’s manager, has reason to be optimistic.
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