Carlo Ancelotti criticized his Real Madrid team for their “attitude” and “collective commitment” after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Mallorca in their opening match of the 2024-25 LaLiga season.
Rodrygo opened the scoring for Madrid in the 13th minute at Son Moix, following a sequence of passes involving Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Vinícius Júnior. However, Vedat Muriqi equalized for Mallorca with a header in the second half. Despite their efforts, Madrid could not secure a late winner, and defender Ferland Mendy received a red card during added time, leaving Ancelotti visibly frustrated.
“In the second half, we lacked balance,” Ancelotti stated during the post-match press conference. “We conceded counterattacks and crosses. It wasn’t a good performance. We need to defend better and, crucially, maintain more balance on the pitch. Today, we’re not happy. There are no excuses. We simply needed to perform better with more attitude. Nonetheless, we can learn a lot from this match; it highlighted our issues.”
Last season, Madrid topped LaLiga, finishing 10 points clear of rival Barcelona, and with the recent addition of star forward Mbappé from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, expectations remained high. Mbappé featured for all 90 minutes against Mallorca, recording four shots, two on target, but failed to score.
Ancelotti acknowledged Mallorca’s efforts, managed by Jagoba Arrasate, stating that the draw reflected the game’s flow. “Our defense was not strong; we struggled to regain possession after losing the ball,” he remarked. “That’s where we need to improve. When I mention defending, I’m referring to attitude and collective commitment. The team was too exposed. We need to concentrate more, as we typically do, and play more cohesively. It’s easy to assume it’s solely the forwards’ fault, but if they press without support from the midfielders, it leaves the defense vulnerable. It’s a team issue.”
Madrid recently claimed their first trophy of the season by defeating Atalanta 2-0 to win the UEFA Super Cup in Warsaw. Looking ahead in LaLiga, they will face Real Valladolid at home on August 25, followed by an away match against Las Palmas four days later.