Real Madrid thrashed Mallorca at home
This Monday the last game of LaLiga date 28 was played, where Real Madrid visited Mallorca at the Estadi de Son Moix. The whites prevailed by three goals to nil and are 10 points away from Sevilla, which is second, with 10 games to go.
Xavi Hernández, Barcelona coach, already confessed that it seemed very difficult for him to catch up with Real Madrid, who had only lost twice in LaLiga and with the 'culés' third with 15 points less than the leader. For his part, Ancelotti, when asked about his wide lead and the remaining commitments, does not consider himself the winner, but rather:
“I tell you that I have lost a Champions League final winning 3-0. I hope it doesn't happen again."
The Whites' coach is not confident and knows that the distance is not far and even more so when there are 30 points left to play for. Regarding Mendy's injuries, Rodrygo and Benzema responded:
“We have to evaluate it in the next few days. They don't seem like very serious things. Rodrygo seems to have a blow that has bothered him a lot. Mendy has had an abductor overload. Karim didn't feel well in a jump, we have to wait until Wednesday”.
As for the match in Palma de Mallorca, it began with the 'merengue' initiative, but with a visiting team standing well on the baseline and not allowing the white team to capitalize on the attacks that had grown from their victory on Wednesday against Paris Saint -Germain that classified him to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League.
However, in the first few minutes, Benzema and Kross had some chances that could open the scoring, but the lack of effectiveness and the good action of goalkeeper Sergio Rico prevented the visitors from scoring the first goal. The Frenchman's came from a pass from Vinicius, who left him hand in hand with the goalkeeper, but the shot was deflected for a corner.
At minute 34 came the clearest of the match so far and this was for Mallorca. Maffeo took advantage of a rebound from Nacho that falls to Mendy, but the home side steals it from the Frenchman who shoots low and crosses but hits the right post and goes wide.
The last action of the first half was a good play by Vinicius, dribbling inside the area and leaving Alaba with his heel to take the left-footed shot, but it was deflected by the defense. So they would go to rest.
Starting the second half, at 55', Valverde puts pressure on Baba and the ball falls to Benzema, who passes it to Vinicius and the Brazilian defines it between the legs of the Mallorca goalkeeper to convert the partial 0-1.
At 64 ' there was a fortuitous play on the right-wing of the Madrid area, the local team came out favored and a pass from Kubo to Baba ended in a shot from the edge of the area that Courtois saved without problems. The group directed by Luis García Plaza tried it.
But at 75', Vinicius passed the ball from the middle of the field to Benzema who was on the left-wing and started towards the area, he cut close to the goal looking for the shot, but he passed it to the Brazilian who arrived with speed, but He received a push from Brian that ended with the referee signaling a penalty.
At minute 77, Benzema takes the creeping cross penalty near the left post, tricking Sergio Rico. 0-2 on the scoreboard. At 82', Marcelo, who had come on for Mendy, raised a cross from the left for Benzema from the penalty spot, heading it into the top corner, impossible for the goalkeeper! Final 0-3.
In the jump, it seems, the Frenchman suffered from the action and began to limp. He had to leave, leaving the 'merengues' with 10 players because Ancelotti had exhausted the changes. Previously, injured Mendy and Rodrygo had been substituted. Losses are sensitive to 7 days of facing the Spanish football classic against Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu.
With this victory, Real Madrid consolidates itself at the top of the table with 66 points, while Mallorca is in 16th place with 26 units.