Real Madrid’s highly anticipated start to the 2024/25 La Liga season ended in disappointment as they drew 1-1 with Mallorca, prompting coach Carlo Ancelotti to deliver a scathing critique of his team’s performance. The match, which marked Kylian Mbappé’s La Liga debut, saw Real Madrid take an early lead through Rodrygo in the 13th minute. However, Mallorca equalized in the second half with a header from Vedat Muriqi.Ancelotti expressed his frustration with the team’s lack of balance and poor defensive display, stating, ‘We started the game well, we took the lead and we had chances to score the second, but in the second half we lacked balance’. He added, ‘It was a game we could have lost because we didn’t have balance. It wasn’t a good game’.The Italian coach emphasized the need for collective commitment in defense, particularly given Real Madrid’s attacking lineup. ‘When we talk about defending, we are talking above all about collective commitment. The balance is found with the players thinking about the same thing,’ Ancelotti explained. He also noted that the loss of Toni Kroos has left a void in the team’s organization.Mbappé’s La Liga debut was less impactful than hoped, with the French star failing to score despite several opportunities. Teammate Jude Bellingham was reportedly critical of Mbappé’s finishing, urging him to ‘bring the attacks to an end, try to create space and shoot!’.This result leaves Real Madrid two points behind arch-rivals Barcelona, who secured a 2-1 win against Valencia. Ancelotti views this match as a learning experience, stating, ‘This is a point of reflection for us, and we will need to work on our performance to achieve our goals’. The team will look to improve in their next fixture against Real Valladolid.
Key points
- Real Madrid drew 1-1 with Mallorca in their La Liga season opener, disappointing coach Carlo Ancelotti.
- Ancelotti criticized the team’s lack of balance and defensive commitment, emphasizing the need for collective improvement.
- Kylian Mbappé failed to score in his La Liga debut, adding to the team’s underwhelming performance.
- The result puts Real Madrid two points behind Barcelona in the early stages of the season.
Contradictions👾There is a discrepancy in the reported score of the match.
Most sources state it was a 1-1 draw, but one source incorrectly reported it as a 2-0 loss for Real Madrid.
