While Real Madrid are still mathematically alive in the title race, their hopes were all but dashed following a defeat to league leaders Barcelona last time out. With little left to play for, Los Blancos now host RCD Mallorca, who are still fighting for a spot in European competition.
The home team are second on the table with 75 points in their 35 outings. They are seven points behind league leaders with just three games to go. While it has been a very disappointing campaign for the team in white, Ancelotti will look to ensure he finishes his Real Madrid tenure on a high.
With Barcelona not in action until Thursday, the team in white can keep the title race alive for another 24 hours with a win in this fixture. The Merengues might not have much to play for but Mallorca certainly have a lot at stake in this fixture. They are ninth on the table with 47 points in their 35 matches. They are level on points with eighth-placed Rayo Vallecano, who hold the Conference League spot, and just two points behind seventh-placed Celta Vigo, currently in the Europa League position.
The next three games could define the entire season for Mallorca. They are heading into this fixture on the back of an important 2-1 win over Real Valladolid. While they will be high on confidence, taking down Real Madrid won’t be that easy. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Carlo Ancelotti will be without quite a few of his first-team stars. Antonio Rudiger, Ferland Mendy, David Alaba, Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, and Eduardo Camavinga are all on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, Vinicius Junior and Lucas Vazquez both picked up injuries in their last outing and are unlikely to be available for this one. Aurelien Tchouameni is suspended for Real Madrid against Mallorca following a milestone yellow last time out.
With a host of players unavailable, Ancelotti could switch to the 4-2-3-1 formation. Thibaut Courtois will continue in goal. Federico Valverde and Fran Garcia are expected to be the full-backs, while Raul Asencio could partner with Jacobo Ramon at the heart of the defence.
Luka Modric and Dani Ceballos could form the double pivot in the middle of the park. They will look to shield the backline and ensure they dominate the ball. Arda Guler and Kylian Mbappe could feature on the flanks, with Jude Bellingham taking up the number ten role. With Vinicius unavailable, Endrick could get a run in this fixture from the start, spearheading the Real Madrid attack against Mallorca.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Ramon, Garcia; Modric, Ceballos; Guler, Bellingham, Mbappe; Endrick
Mallorca will be without the services of Manu Morlanes, Robert Navarro, and Abdon Prats against Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Chiquinho will be assessed ahead of the game following his absence from their last outing.
The visitors will stick with the 5-4-1 formation, where Dominik Greif will be in goal. Pablo Maffeo and Johan Mojica will be the wing-backs, while Martin Valjent will start alongside Antonio Raíllo and Jose Manuel Copete in the heart of the defence.
Antonio Sanchez and Sergi Darder will be the two featuring out wide on the flanks in midfield. Meanwhile, Omar Mascarell and Samu Costa will take up a more central role. They will look to ensure Real Madrid midfielders do not dominate the proceedings. Cyle Larin will be the one leading the line for Mallorca against Real Madrid.
Probable Lineup (5-4-1): Greif; Maffeo, Valjent, Raillo, Copete, Mojica; Sanchez, Mascarell, Costa, Darder; Larin
The 18-year-old Brazilian sensation has featured in 35 games across competitions in his debut campaign for Real Madrid but has only logged 715 minutes on the pitch. Despite the limited game time, he has impressed with seven goals and one assist.
Averaging a goal every 102 minutes, Endrick has made the most of his opportunities so far. If handed a start here, the teenage sensation will be eager to get on the scoresheet and make a strong statement.
Real Madrid might have little left to play for in terms of silverware, but with pride at stake, Carlo Ancelotti’s men will be eager to deliver a strong performance against RCD Mallorca at the Bernabeu. Meanwhile, the visitors will arrive with a sense of urgency, knowing a positive result here could significantly boost their chances of qualifying for European football.
However, their poor away form and struggles in front of goal on the road will be a major concern. While Jagoba Arrasate’s men will aim to keep things tight at the back and frustrate the hosts, Madrid’s firepower and home record should be enough to see them through with a comfortable win. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for the home team.
