Real Madrid manages to advance past Pirates, using any means necessary

Real Madrid, leading the league, secured a narrow 1-0 victory against

, marking their sixth consecutive home win across all competitions. This outcome halted Mallorca’s impressive five-game unbeaten streak in La Liga.

Real Madrid received a significant boost ahead of the match when Dani Carvajal and Vinícius Júnior recovered from their respective injuries, allowing them to start the club’s first game of 2024. Vinícius, who had been sidelined since November, had a promising opportunity to score upon his return but unfortunately missed the target with his effort. Despite facing a resilient Mallorca side, Vinícius attempted a long-range shot that forced a save from the diving Predrag Rajković.

While Real Madrid applied considerable pressure in the first half, Mallorca created the best chance when Dani Rodríguez’s cross was headed against the underside of the crossbar by Antonio Sánchez. In the second half, Mallorca continued to frustrate the visitors as Samú Costa’s long-range strike hit the post.

Around the 60-minute mark, coach Carlo Ancelotti opted for a cautious approach in Vinícius’ comeback, substituting the Brazilian with Brahim Díaz. The Spaniard nearly made an immediate impact by heading a rebound from Rodrygo’s shot against the upright. Fortunately for Brahim, his miss didn’t prove costly as Real Madrid’s persistent pressure paid off in the 78th minute. Antonio Rüdiger scored his first goal of the season by rising high in the box to nod home the ball from Luka Modrić’s well-placed corner.

In the closing stages, Real Madrid couldn’t increase their lead, but it didn’t matter much as they held on to secure the three points, moving three points ahead of Girona, at least temporarily. Meanwhile, Mallorca endured their fourth defeat in five away league games, keeping them in 14th place.