In a thrilling LaLiga 2024-2025 opener, Real Mallorca and Real Madrid played out a hard-fought 1-1 draw at a packed Son Moix Stadium. The match saw early dominance from the visitors, but a spirited second-half performance by Mallorca ensured the points were shared in this intense encounter.
Real Madrid started the game brightly, with their new-look attack featuring Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Jr., and Rodrygo. It didn’t take long for the visitors to make their mark on the game. In the 13th minute, Rodrygo unleashed a powerful shot that found the back of the net, putting Los Blancos ahead. The early goal stunned the home crowd and seemed to signal a long night for Mallorca.
Despite the goal, Real Madrid struggled to maintain their early momentum. Mbappé, making his highly anticipated LaLiga debut, was lively but unable to convert his energy into clear chances. The French superstar had only one significant opportunity, a shot that was well saved by Mallorca’s goalkeeper Dominik Greif.
The second half saw a rejuvenated Mallorca side, with coach Jagoba Arrasate’s halftime talk clearly making an impact. The hosts pushed forward with more intent, and their persistence paid off in the 64th minute. Vedat Muriqi, a constant aerial threat, rose unchallenged to head home a corner delivered by Dani Rodríguez. The goal sparked wild celebrations among the Mallorca faithful and set up a tense final half-hour.
Mallorca continued to press, and substitute Antonio Sánchez had two glorious chances to snatch a win for the home side, but his efforts failed to find the target. Real Madrid, on the other hand, struggled to regain control of the match and appeared to tire as the game wore on.
As the match entered stoppage time, Real Madrid’s Ferland Mendy was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Muriqi, leaving Los Blancos down to ten men for the final moments. Fortunately for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, Mallorca could not capitalize on the numerical advantage, and the game ended in a draw.
The draw will be a concern for Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, who watched his team fade in the second half. While Rodrygo’s early goal showcased their attacking prowess, the lack of a killer instinct and the inability to maintain control will be worrying as the season progresses. Mbappé, although promising, will need time to adapt fully to LaLiga, and the absence of key players like Luka Modrić until later in the game showed in Madrid’s midfield performance.
For Mallorca, the result was a positive start to the season under new manager Jagoba Arrasate. The islanders displayed resilience and determination, particularly after conceding early, and Muriqi’s equalizer was just reward for their efforts.
Mallorca will be buoyed by their performance as they head to Pamplona next weekend to face Osasuna, while Real Madrid will look to regroup as they prepare to host Real Valladolid at the Santiago Bernabéu. Ancelotti will be keen to address the defensive lapses and ensure his team returns to winning ways.