Kylian Mbappe’s much-awaited La Liga debut for Real Madrid on Sunday ended in disappointment as Real Mallorca held the defending Spanish and European champions to a 1-1 draw in their opening match of the season. Despite Mbappe’s best efforts, he was denied by Mallorca goalkeeper Dominik Greif.
Real Madrid started the match with purpose, with their Brazilian attacking duo, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes, combining brilliantly to open the scoring. Vinicius laid the ball off for Rodrygo, who bent a shot into the far corner beyond the reach of Greif. Although Greif managed to parry another attempt from Rodrygo, and Mbappe missed the target, Madrid maintained their pressure but failed to extend their lead.
However, Mallorca, under their newly appointed coach Jagoba Arrasate, put up a valiant performance and managed to neutralize Real Madrid’s star-studded lineup. Before halftime, Muriqi nearly scored for the home side, and the tenacious defender Pablo Maffeo received a yellow card for a rough tackle on Vinicius.
Early in the second half, Mallorca equalized when the strong Kosovo striker Muriqi powerfully headed the ball into the net from Dani Rodriguez’s corner kick. Greif made a low save from Mbappe at his near post, and Vinicius blasted the ball over the crossbar as Ancelotti’s team tried to regain the lead.
In an effort to create more attacking fluidity against Mallorca’s deep-lying defense, Ancelotti substituted veteran midfielder Luka Modric, who will turn 39 in September, for defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni. Mbappe had another chance, but Greif denied him once more, and Johan Mojica cleared the rebound to safety before Rodrygo could reach it.
The match ended on a sour note for Los Blancos as defender Ferland Mendy was sent off in stoppage time for a high challenge on Muriqi.
The draw highlighted Mallorca’s resilient defense and Real Madrid’s struggle to break down a determined opponent. Despite the addition of Mbappe to their squad, Real Madrid’s performance suggested that they will need time to adjust to the new season and find their rhythm.
