Actual Madrid started 2024 with a win in La Liga as Antonio Rudiger’s solitary second half aim was sufficient to see off Mallorca on the Bernabeu.
Carlo Ancelotti’s facet will stay high of the desk by means of this week’s spherical of video games consequently, though it was no straightforward job on a irritating night in opposition to a well-drilled opponent, who really hit the woodwork twice in the course of the course of the match.
How the sport unfolded
Solely a handful of groups in La Liga have gained fewer video games than Mallorca to date this season, however the islanders got here into this one off the again of two victories of their final three outings earlier than Christmas and have been the nearer of the perimeters to breaking the impasse within the first half.
Antonio Sanchez’s far submit header simply earlier than half-time cannoned off the underside of the crossbar, with the ball gratefully grasped by Andriy Lunin because it bounced again up from the goal-line.
General, the competition grew to become extra vigorous because the opening 45 minutes progressed. A troublesome close to submit header from Jude Bellingham, simply saved by Pedrag Rajkovic, was the perfect of few early possibilities for a Madrid crew dominating possession.
Because the hosts probed, Vinicius Junior dragged his shot throughout aim in a rush after Luka Modric squeezed the ball by means of the compact defence. The Brazilian missed the goal once more later within the half when Rodrygo had pinched the ball in Mallorca territory, however he did then power Rajkovic right into a high save to maintain it goal-less with one other effort not lengthy after.
Pressure additionally rose within the remaining moments earlier than the interval when there have been clamours from the house followers for Mallorca defender Siebe van der Heyden, who had been proven a yellow card for a stray elbow inside a couple of seconds of the opening kick-off, to be despatched off for tripping Rodrygo.
Having hit the bar late within the first half, Mallorca struck the woodwork once more rapidly within the second as Samu’s speculative long-range drive caught Madrid without warning and bounced off the foot of the submit. Toni Kroos narrowly missed the goal with a dipping free-kick however the hosts have been in any other case too sluggish to interrupt Mallorca down and create something extra of observe.
Madrid wanted an injection of power and Brahim Diaz helped present it off the bench. But the 24-year-old gained’t perceive how he didn’t put his crew forward after Rodrygo’s shot was parried by Rajkovic. Throwing himself on the rebound, Brahim someway headed the ball onto the submit.
Strain from Madrid was constructing as the ultimate levels neared, albeit nonetheless with out actually hammering on the door, and it was maybe becoming that it was a set-piece which offered the breakthrough. The Mallorca resistance that had been irritating for 3 quarters of the sport relented, with Rudiger rising highest in the course of a crowded field to go in Modric’s in-swinging nook.
GK: Andriy Lunin – 5/10 – Type of helpless when the ball struck his woodwork on two events.
RB: Dani Carvajal – 6/10 – With minimal width on the appropriate, the onus was on him to place in a tough shift and that was precisely what he gave.
CB: Aurelien Tchouameni – 6/10 – First begin since October however it got here in an unnatural place on account of Nacho’s suspension. Distributed nicely out from the again.
CB: Antonio Rudiger – 7/10 – Appeared to get pleasure from his bodily battle with Mallorca striker Cyle Larin after which emerged because the unlikely hero together with his first La Liga aim in 16 months.
LB: Fran Garcia – 5/10 – Supply wasn’t the perfect when he acquired ahead.
CM: Federico Valverde – 6/10 – Showcased some wonderful passing with out being vastly influential.
CM: Luka Modric (c) – 7/10 – His mind is not slowing down even when his physique is beginning to.
CM: Toni Kroos – 6/10 – Helped management the tempo of possession however did not have the incisiveness to make Mallorca actually sweat. Sacrificed for a extra attacking change.
AM: Jude Bellingham – 7/10 – No customary aim however at all times trying to be on the coronary heart of what Madrid did. Labored as exhausting off the ball as he did on it.
ST: Rodrygo – 5/10 – Simply lacked the essential little bit of high quality when it mattered most.
ST: Vinicius Junior – 6/10 – Again in from the beginning after recovering from damage. Somewhat rusty in entrance of aim and understandably solely lasted an hour. Nonetheless had Madrid’s finest likelihood of the primary half.
Substitutes
SUB: Brahim Diaz (60′ for Vinicius) – 7/10
SUB: Joselu (67′ for Kroos) – 6/10
SUB: Dani Ceballas (86′ for Modric) – N/A
SUB: Lucas Vazquez (86′ for Rodrygo) – N/A
Subs not used: Kepa (GK), Gonzalez (GK), Carrillo, Paz, Guler
Supervisor
Carlo Ancelotti – 6/10 – Palms are tied a bit by lack of choices and it was persistence moderately than anything that secured this win. The sooner substitutes did add one thing.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25784220/247333_EOY_Package_Check_In_CVirginia_PODCASTS.jpg "What podcasts looked like in 2024 — literally")
