Kylian Mbappe’s highly anticipated La Liga debut for Real Madrid fell short of expectations as a determined Real Mallorca held the Spanish and European champions to a 1-1 draw in their title defense opener on Sunday. The French superstar, who joined Real Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, was thwarted by Mallorca goalkeeper Dominik Greif throughout the match.
Real Madrid took the lead early in the game through Rodrygo Goes, who capitalized on a slick combination with Vinicius Jr. to slot the ball past Greif. However, Mallorca refused to be overawed by the star-studded Madrid lineup and gradually grew into the match, leveling the score in the second half through a towering header from Vedat Muriqi.
Despite dominating possession, Real Madrid struggled to break down Mallorca’s stubborn defense, with both Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. finding themselves denied by the impressive Greif on multiple occasions. The game also saw Real Madrid’s defender Ferland Mendy sent off in stoppage time for a dangerous tackle on Muriqi.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti expressed his disappointment with his team’s performance, highlighting their lack of balance and defensive vulnerabilities. “We went ahead, we had chances to score the second, and then in the second half we lacked balance,” Ancelotti said. “We conceded counter-attacks, it was not a good game, it was quite a clear game to see that we need to defend better and have better balance on the pitch.”
Mallorca, who were runners-up in the Copa del Rey last season, entered the match with a new coach in Jagoba Arrasate, who had a tough challenge on his hands against the reigning champions. However, his team displayed resilience and composure, earning a well-deserved point against their illustrious opponents.
“I’m so tired but it was worth it, it was so important to get a point against a team like Madrid, maybe the best in the world,” Muriqi said after the match. “I have to be honest, scoring against Madrid is so beautiful.”
The draw leaves Real Madrid with a point from their opening La Liga game, while Mallorca sit in sixth place with a point as well. The result serves as a timely reminder that Real Madrid’s quest for a second consecutive La Liga title will not be a straightforward one, particularly with the arrival of new players needing to integrate into the team and find their rhythm.
