Costly La Liga stumble for Real Madrid in Mallorca

Real Madrid suffered a damaging defeat in Mallorca in what can only be described as a forgettable performance from the Spanish giants. Aside from Kylian Mbappé, who showed flashes of danger, the rest of the team bore little resemblance to the side that had strung together five straight victories. It was a clear setback that leaves Madrid increasingly reliant on Barcelona in the title race. Mallorca, meanwhile, used the win to climb out of the relegation zone, pushing Elche into it.

Both teams stepped onto the pitch at Son Moix fully aware of what was at stake. Mallorca were fighting to distance themselves from relegation, while Real Madrid needed a win to stay firmly in the title hunt. With an eye on the upcoming clash against Bayern, Arbeloa opted to rest Vinícius and Thiago, handing Mbappé a starting role. Demichelis, on the other hand, reshuffled his lineup in search of three crucial points. Despite the high stakes, the opening stages were slow and uneventful, lacking rhythm and intensity.

Neither side managed to string together meaningful attacking sequences, with both teams relying on direct play toward their respective strikers, Vedat Muriqi and Mbappé. Clear chances were scarce, and the game offered little excitement early on. That changed around the 20 minute mark when Mbappé created two genuine scoring opportunities, only to be denied by an outstanding Leo Román. The Mallorca goalkeeper also produced a strong save to stop Arda Güler shortly after.

Those moments sparked Real Madrid into life, and for a brief spell they appeared to take control of the match. Mallorca remained committed to finding Muriqi, who engaged in a physical battle with Antonio Rüdiger. However, the decisive figure for the home side was not their striker but Morlanes. The midfielder, repeatedly arriving unnoticed from deep, warned Madrid in the 35th minute and then struck in the 41st. He slipped into the box unmarked to meet a cross from the right and beat Andriy Lunin, capitalizing on a lapse in marking as Eduardo Camavinga failed to track his run. Madrid pushed for an equalizer before halftime, but their efforts came up short, and Mallorca went into the break with a 1 0 lead.

The second half began with Mallorca slowing the tempo and controlling possession. Real Madrid, despite their urgency, showed little improvement, relying once again on Mbappé and Güler for attacking threat. Recognizing the need for change, Arbeloa made a triple substitution, bringing on Vinícius, Jude Bellingham, and Éder Militão, who returned to action after his December injury. The changes pushed Madrid higher up the pitch and altered their shape.

Mallorca absorbed the pressure while looking for opportunities to extend their lead, with Luvumbo leading their attacking efforts. Madrid’s initial surge after the substitutions quickly faded, prompting Demichelis to respond with three changes of his own to inject fresh energy and a more attacking approach.

In the closing stages, Arbeloa introduced Thiago and Mastantuono in a final attempt to spark a comeback that seemed unlikely. Yet in the 88th minute, Militão rose to score the equalizer, reigniting hope for Real Madrid. That hope, however, lasted just three minutes. In the 91st minute, Muriqi found the net to restore Mallorca’s lead and seal the victory, leaving Madrid with a costly defeat just days before their crucial showdown with Bayern.