Real Madrid faced a challenging encounter at Son Moix, ultimately succumbing to a late defeat against Mallorca. Despite clawing their way back into the game with an equalizer, the hosts swiftly regained their lead in the dying minutes of the match.
Coach Alvaro Arbeloa opted for significant squad rotation for the away trip to Palma, notably benching key forward Vinicius Junior. Despite these changes, Real Madrid squandered two clear opportunities in the first half, with Mallorca’s goalkeeper Leo Roman making crucial saves to deny Kylian Mbappe, who was making his return.
Militao’s Header Brings Real Madrid Level
Real Madrid’s missed chances proved costly as Manu Morlanes clinically opened the scoring for Mallorca in the first half. The hosts held their advantage for 50 minutes until Eder Militao, in his first appearance after a five-month absence due to injury, powerfully headed home an equalizer, leveling the score.
Muriqi Restores Mallorca’s Lead Moments Later
Although Real Madrid appeared to gain momentum after their equalizer, their efforts were undone almost immediately. Mallorca reclaimed the lead in stoppage time when Vedat Muriqi expertly converted from inside the penalty area, pushing the score to 2-1 in a dramatic turn of events.
This result could have significant ramifications for the La Liga title race. Should Barcelona secure a victory at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Real Madrid would face a daunting seven-point deficit, a gap that could prove insurmountable in the latter stages of the season.
