Real Madrid suffered a shock 2–1 defeat to Mallorca at Son Moix on Saturday, a result that will likely prove detrimental in their push for the Spanish crown.
Álvaro Arbeloa’s squad returned to domestic action lacking any of the flair and swagger they possessed in the five games before the international break. Mallorca midfielder Manu Morlanes opened the scoring on the brink of halftime, and Los Blancos failed to answer until the 88th minute, when Éder Militão buried a last-gasp header.
Just when it looked like the visitors would salvage at least a point from the drab affair, they conceded a match-winner to in-form striker Vedat Muriqi in stoppage time, handing relegation-battling Mallorca just their fourth win in 2026.
A win from Barcelona later on could see Real Madrid fall seven points behind in the La Liga title race, a devastating blow to a team that had just started to dream of silverware. To make matters worse, the 15-time European champions have to face Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals in just three days.
One Thing We Can’t Ignore
Kylian Mbappé made his first start for Real Madrid since Feb. 21, fully recovered from his nagging knee injury. The Frenchman had full control of the attack while Vinicius Junior got some much-needed rest, and should have had no trouble exploiting a backline that has not kept a clean sheet in 2026.
Except Mbappé was outclassed by goalkeeper Leo Román in the first half. The Mallorca man had an answer for the few chances sent his way—chances that Real Madrid needed their leading goalscorer to bury.
The lack of end product—or really, any product—from Mbappé became even more concerning as the second half unfolded. The 27-year-old never looked much a threat to score or create despite having free roam of the attack. Once he was forced to share the pitch with Vinicius Jr, he became even more of a non-factor.
Surely the blame does not fall all on Mbappé; there are about five other players in white you could point to as reason for the team’s poor effort. But it is yet another example of Los Blancos looking unimaginative, lost, and frankly, worse with the France international on the pitch.
Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Mallorca (4-4-2)
GK: Andriy Lunin—5.7: Hardly at fault for Mallorca’s opener, but stunned in place for the match-winner.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold—7.3: Bagged the assist on Militão’s goal with brilliant service from the corner flag and then completely lost his man just minutes later, helping Mallorca secure three points.
CB: Antonio Rüdiger—6.6: Did his job to keep Vedat Muriqi quiet in the air, but caught lacking when it mattered most. A rare misstep from the German after a string of great performances.
CB: Dean Huijsen—7.0: Stayed glued to Zito Luvumbo and held him to zero shots in his 59 minutes on the pitch. Composed on the ball when playing out the back.
LB: Álvaro Carreras—7.2: Had little influence. Easy to read on the ball in the final third and didn’t even try to close down Pablo Maffeo in the build-up to Mallorca’s opening goal.
RM: Manuel Ángel—6.6: A mixed bag from the youngster. Brought tireless energy and showed off his clinical passing, but struggled to link up with Alexander-Arnold down the right-hand side of the pitch.
CM: Aurélien Tchouaméni—6.9: Not one of his standout performances, but did his job effectively. Greatly missed Thiago Pitarch and Federico Valverde.
CM: Eduardo Camavinga—6.9: Showed more attacking flare than usual, but ruined it by allowing Morlanes to freely drive into the box and score—all while the Frenchman stood and watched.
LM: Arda Güler—7.2: Created chance after chance, in open play and from the corner flag, that his teammates failed to finish. Playing with confidence.
ST: Brahim Díaz—6.5: Might as well have not been on the pitch, and he knew it too, if his disappointed reaction on the bench was any indication.
ST: Kylian Mbappé—7.3: Saw his best chances of the first half denied by goalkeeper Leo Román. Disappeared in the second half. Played with nowhere near the prowess the team needed from one of the best players in the world.
SUB: Éder Militão (59’ for Huijsen)—7.2: Got on the scoresheet in his first appearance in four months. Looked sharp defensively as well.
SUB: Vinicius Junior (59’ for Ángel)—6.2: Instantly gave the team some life, but failed to get much going with two defenders marking his every move.
SUB: Jude Bellingham (59’ for Camavinga)—6.2: Didn’t provide the answer the team needed. Lacked his patented creativity.
SUB: Thiago Pitarch (72’ for Güler)—6.1: Should have started. Tidy in possession.
SUB: Franco Mastantuono (77’ for Díaz)—5.9: Walked away with a yellow card and not much else to show for his cameo.
Subs not used: Fran González (GK), Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, Fran García, Raúl Asencio, César Palacios, Gonzalo García.
What the Ratings Tell Us
- In his first start since March 2, Álvaro Carreras did nowhere near enough to re-establish his permanent place in Arbeloa’s XI. The Spaniard was one-dimensional, uncreative and switched off when it mattered most. Ferland Mendy edges him out defensively, and Fran García shows more intent driving forward.
- Eduardo Camavinga is at the center of transfer speculation for reportedly being unhappy with his lack of minutes. Yet when given the opportunity to start, the Frenchman found himself at the center of the crime, looking wildly uninterested in getting back to defend the game’s opening goal. The performance likely sends him back to the bench moving forward.
- One positive from the disappointing match was the return of Éder Militão. The center back made his first appearance since December and scored the team’s only goal. There still a ways to go before he works up to full match fitness, but his return brings some much-needed stability to an otherwise inconsistent backline—at the most important time of the season.
The Numbers That Explain Real Madrid’s Shock Defeat
- With just 36% possession, Mallorca managed to bag two goals to send Real Madrid home empty handed. Los Blancos lost control of the match when they didn’t have the ball.
- Real Madrid only created two big chances against a team that has not kept a clean sheet in 2026. The team was wildly uncreative in the final third.
- A team with Mbappé on the pitch for 90 minutes, and Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham on for over 30 minutes, managed just 1.27 xG.
|
Statistic |
Mallorca |
Real Madrid |
|---|---|---|
|
Possession |
36% |
64% |
|
Expected Goals (xG) |
1.22 |
1.27 |
|
Total Shots |
6 |
15 |
|
Shots on Target |
2 |
6 |
|
Big Chances |
2 |
2 |
|
Pass Accuracy |
79% |
88% |
|
Fouls |
16 |
13 |
|
Corners |
46 |
4 |
