Real Madrid secured vital three points at Son Moix against Mallorca, with a long-range goal from Aurelien Tchouameni being the difference maker.
Carlo Ancelotti fielded a heavily rotated eleven with players such as Vinicius Junior, Toni Kroos, and Dani Carvajal on the bench.
It was a fairly uneventful first half with the only highlights being Brahim Diaz’s solo run – which he was unable to control in the final third – and Jude Bellingham’s shot hitting the crossbar.
The defense was solid, with the center-back pairing of Rudiger and Nacho making life difficult for the Mallorca attack.
In the 48th minute, Tchouameni took a stunning shot from outside the box which ended in the back of the net, and gave Real Madrid the lead.
The Merengues were poor in the final third in the 2nd half as they got numerous chances but were unable to slot the ball home. Brahim chose to control the ball when he could have chosen to shoot with his first touch only, while Fede Valverde’s shot was cleared off the line.
Vinicius and Camavinga came on in the 63rd minute. The Brazilian, in particular, was subject to whistles from the Mallorca fans, showing that he is particularly disliked amongst them.
Luka Modric was substituted late in the game, and received a standing ovation from the rival fans after putting on another splendid display in the midfield.
Eder Militao’s case is a curious one because he was expected to start in order to get some game time before the 2nd leg at the Etihad, where he would replace Tchouameni, who is suspended for that game.
However, Ancelotti opted for Nacho and the Brazilian just got to play 4 minutes of additional time. It remains to be seen who will the Italian choose to pair Antonio Rudiger with against Manchester City this Wednesday.
As far as the league is concerned, with this win, Real Madrid move to 78 points heading to next week’s El Clasico. A win in that match will arguably settle the title race for this season.
Now, Carlo Ancelotti’s side will have to battle against all odds and secure a victory at the Etihad, where they have never won. Next week can prove to be a historical one or can also be a repeat of the last season, but Real Madrid would hope it is the former.
