Match ends, Real Madrid 1, Mallorca 0.
Categorie
La Liga leaders Real Madrid extend unbeaten run
Author: BBC Sport
La Liga leaders Real Madrid gained a hard-fought win over Mallorca thanks to Antonio Rudiger’s late header.
Mallorca hit the woodwork twice as Antonio Sanchez’s header bounced off the underside of the crossbar on to the goalline, with Samu Costa also hitting the post for the visitors.
Those misses proved costly as Rudiger headed in from Luka Modric’s fine left-wing corner in the 78th minute.
Real are now unbeaten in 18 games in all competitions.
The result had briefly taken Real three points clear at the top, before second-placed Girona moved back level on points thanks to a 91st-minute winning goal from Ivan Martin as they beat third-placed Atletico Madrid 4-3.
Both Real and Girona have 48 points from 19 matches at the halfway point in the Spanish league season, with the Madrid side top thanks to a better goal difference.
Rare Rudiger goal proves the difference
This was the first game since boss Carlo Ancelotti ended speculation linking him with the Brazil national team as he extended his Real contract, committing him to the club until at least 2026.
Ancelotti was boosted by the return of Vinicius Jr, playing his first club game in almost two months following a hamstring injury sustained on Brazil duty in November.
Vinicius twice had efforts saved by Predrag Rajkovic – one attempt from a tight angle and another strike from outside the penalty area.
But Mallorca, 14th in the table, twice hit the frame of the goal as they looked to gain a shock win.
England’s Jude Bellingham is the top scorer in La Liga this season with 13 goals, but his best attempt was a diving header from Modric’s cross which away goalkeeper Rajkovic jumped to save.
After Mallorca hit the post, Real dominated as they pushed for a fourth successive win in all competitions and their ninth in their past 10 games.
They should have gone ahead when Rodrygo’s shot was parried into Brahim Diaz’s path but the substitute hit the post with a diving header when faced with an unguarded goal only a few yards out.
But Diaz’s blushes were spared thanks to Rudiger’s goal, his first in La Liga since 11 September 2022 when he scored in a 4-1 victory over Mallorca.
Morata hat-trick not enough for Atletico
Girona are playing in the Spanish top-flight for only the fourth season in their history and have never finished higher than 10th.
However, they are level on points with Real and 10 points ahead of both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, although Barca have a game in hand.
Against Atletico, Girona scored inside the opening two minutes through Valery Fernandez’s curled shot from 20 yards, before Alvaro Morata equalised from Antoine Griezmann’s pass.
Savio restored Girona’s lead after Martin’s shot had been parried and ex-Manchester United defender Daley Blind’s close-range volley made it 3-1.
Former Chelsea striker Morata scored twice more, from two Rodrigo de Paul assists, to complete his hat-trick and make it 3-3, but it was not enough as Martin shot into the top corner in the first minute of injury time for a dramatic winner.
Line-ups
Real Madrid
Formation 4-2-2-2
- 13LuninBooked at 45mins
- 2Carvajal
- 18Tchouaméni
- 22Rüdiger
- 20García
- 10ModricSubstituted forCeballosat 86′minutes
- 8KroosSubstituted forJoseluat 67′minutes
- 15Valverde
- 5Bellingham
- 11RodrygoBooked at 35minsSubstituted forVázquezat 86′minutes
- 7Vinícius JúniorSubstituted forDíazat 60′minutes
Substitutes
- 14Joselu
- 17Vázquez
- 19Ceballos
- 21Díaz
- 24Güler
- 25Arrizabalaga Revuelta
- 30González
- 32Paz
- 34Carrillo
Mallorca
Formation 5-4-1
- 1Rajkovic
- 15MaffeoBooked at 70mins
- 20González
- 21Raíllo
- 2NastasicBooked at 61mins
- 4Van der HeydenBooked at 1minsSubstituted forLatorre Gruesoat 45′minutes
- 18SánchezSubstituted forNdiayeat 83′minutes
- 8MorlanesSubstituted forMascarellat 73′minutes
- 12de Almeida Costa
- 14RodríguezSubstituted forDarderat 73′minutes
- 17LarinSubstituted forPratsat 73′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Latorre Grueso
- 5Mascarell
- 6Arias Copete
- 9Prats
- 10Darder
- 13Greif
- 19Llabrés
- 23Ndiaye
- 25Cuéllar
- 27López
- 32Fernández
- 33Luna
- Referee:
- Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz
- Attendance:
- 72,394
Match Stats
Live Text
Post update
Author: BBC Sport
La Liga leaders Real Madrid gained a hard-fought win over Mallorca thanks to Antonio Rudiger’s late header.
Mallorca hit the woodwork twice as Antonio Sanchez’s header bounced off the underside of the crossbar on to the goalline, with Samu Costa also hitting the post for the visitors.
Those misses proved costly as Rudiger headed in from Luka Modric’s fine left-wing corner in the 78th minute.
Real are now unbeaten in 18 games in all competitions.
The result had briefly taken Real three points clear at the top, before second-placed Girona moved back level on points thanks to a 91st-minute winning goal from Ivan Martin as they beat third-placed Atletico Madrid 4-3.
Both Real and Girona have 48 points from 19 matches at the halfway point in the Spanish league season, with the Madrid side top thanks to a better goal difference.
Rare Rudiger goal proves the difference
This was the first game since boss Carlo Ancelotti ended speculation linking him with the Brazil national team as he extended his Real contract, committing him to the club until at least 2026.
Ancelotti was boosted by the return of Vinicius Jr, playing his first club game in almost two months following a hamstring injury sustained on Brazil duty in November.
Vinicius twice had efforts saved by Predrag Rajkovic – one attempt from a tight angle and another strike from outside the penalty area.
But Mallorca, 14th in the table, twice hit the frame of the goal as they looked to gain a shock win.
England’s Jude Bellingham is the top scorer in La Liga this season with 13 goals, but his best attempt was a diving header from Modric’s cross which away goalkeeper Rajkovic jumped to save.
After Mallorca hit the post, Real dominated as they pushed for a fourth successive win in all competitions and their ninth in their past 10 games.
They should have gone ahead when Rodrygo’s shot was parried into Brahim Diaz’s path but the substitute hit the post with a diving header when faced with an unguarded goal only a few yards out.
But Diaz’s blushes were spared thanks to Rudiger’s goal, his first in La Liga since 11 September 2022 when he scored in a 4-1 victory over Mallorca.
Morata hat-trick not enough for Atletico
Girona are playing in the Spanish top-flight for only the fourth season in their history and have never finished higher than 10th.
However, they are level on points with Real and 10 points ahead of both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, although Barca have a game in hand.
Against Atletico, Girona scored inside the opening two minutes through Valery Fernandez’s curled shot from 20 yards, before Alvaro Morata equalised from Antoine Griezmann’s pass.
Savio restored Girona’s lead after Martin’s shot had been parried and ex-Manchester United defender Daley Blind’s close-range volley made it 3-1.
Former Chelsea striker Morata scored twice more, from two Rodrigo de Paul assists, to complete his hat-trick and make it 3-3, but it was not enough as Martin shot into the top corner in the first minute of injury time for a dramatic winner.
Line-ups
Real Madrid
Formation 4-2-2-2
13Lunin
2Carvajal18Tchouaméni22Rüdiger20García
10Modric8Kroos
15Valverde5Bellingham
11Rodrygo7Vinícius Júnior
- 13LuninBooked at 45mins
- 2Carvajal
- 18Tchouaméni
- 22Rüdiger
- 20García
- 10ModricSubstituted forCeballosat 86’minutes
- 8KroosSubstituted forJoseluat 67’minutes
- 15Valverde
- 5Bellingham
- 11RodrygoBooked at 35minsSubstituted forVázquezat 86’minutes
- 7Vinícius JúniorSubstituted forDíazat 60’minutes
Substitutes
- 14Joselu
- 17Vázquez
- 19Ceballos
- 21Díaz
- 24Güler
- 25Arrizabalaga Revuelta
- 30González
- 32Paz
- 34Carrillo
Mallorca
Formation 5-4-1
1Rajkovic
15Maffeo20González21Raíllo2Nastasic4Van der Heyden
18Sánchez8Morlanes12de Almeida Costa14Rodríguez
17Larin
- 1Rajkovic
- 15MaffeoBooked at 70mins
- 20González
- 21Raíllo
- 2NastasicBooked at 61mins
- 4Van der HeydenBooked at 1minsSubstituted forLatorre Gruesoat 45’minutes
- 18SánchezSubstituted forNdiayeat 83’minutes
- 8MorlanesSubstituted forMascarellat 73’minutes
- 12de Almeida Costa
- 14RodríguezSubstituted forDarderat 73’minutes
- 17LarinSubstituted forPratsat 73’minutes
Substitutes
- 3Latorre Grueso
- 5Mascarell
- 6Arias Copete
- 9Prats
- 10Darder
- 13Greif
- 19Llabrés
- 23Ndiaye
- 25Cuéllar
- 27López
- 32Fernández
- 33Luna
Referee:
Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz
Attendance:
72,394
Match Stats
Live Text
Post update
Match ends, Real Madrid 1, Mallorca 0.